Wayne Rooney looks in jovial spirits as he warms up with his fellow benchwarmers this afternoon. He's always labelled as a model pro of course.

Apart from that time when he wanted to leave because of a lack of signings. And that other time. 

The Arsenal 'this is their year' klaxon has been sounded...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Old Trafford

Arsenal must feel they have a great opportunity to exert their superiority over Manchester United today - they have improved this season while Jose Mourinho has struggled to spark this side into life after succeeding Louis van Gaal.

If Arsenal can end their Old Trafford hoodoo today, then belief will surely rise among Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his players that this is the season that they can finally mount a serious title challenge.

Football Focus

Former England internationals Danny Mills and Trevor Sinclair are the guests in the Football Focus studio today.

There are interviews with Eden Hazard, Nathan Redmond and Ronald Koeman, along with an appearance from that man Rick Astley.

Football Focus

Martin Keown
Former Arsenal defender on 5 live

Old Trafford is always a difficult place to go. You knew if you went there and won you had a good chance of going on and doing well in the league. They were the dominant force. We [Arsenal] were trying to wrestle that away from them.

You knew United had an aura around them. You needed to win head-to-heads because they would beat everyone else.

With Zlatan Ibrahimovic suspended, Marcus Rashford gets his chance up front for Manchester United.

Anthony Martial gets his first start for United since the 3-1 defeat to Watford on 18 September.

Antonio Valencia also returns after having surgery on a broken arm.

Michael Carrick captains today, while Wayne Rooney is on the bench. But there is no place in the match day squad for Luke Shaw and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Image source, .

Carl Jenkinson comes in at right-back for the injured Hector Bellerin, who will be a huge loss for Arsenal. It's Jenkinson's first league start for the Gunners in two-and-a-half years!

Mohamed Elneny gets the nod ahead of Granit Xhaka, while Aaron Ramsey make his first Premier League start since the opening day of the season and he replaces Alex Iwobi.

Image source, .

Then let's begin... 

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

So, the Jose-Arsene rivalry takes a different, red twist.

There's too much history between the pair, external to go into here though, as there is between the clubs, so in previewing their latest clash it's best to echo Wenger's thought that what will make it 'is the quality of the game'.

If United win, it'll not only be arguably the most surprising of the three possible outcomes, but a statement of them being in the thick of the fight.

If it's Arsenal, they'll go top for at least a couple of hours, and make the chance of United being there at the end seem more of a dream than a hope.

Early to start Christmas shopping - right?

Richard in Bluewater (missing the match while being dragged Christmas shopping)

Image source, Rex Features

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with a manager criticising his players privately, but Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho should be careful next time he throws someone under a bus in public."

What is it with Mourinho and metaphorical buses? One minute he's parking one, the next he's throwing his players under it.

The words above are the start of John Hartson's latest column for BBC Sport. To read more, click here.

Football Focus starts on BBC One from 12:00 GMT... 

Chelsea's Eden Hazard talks about the rejuvenated form which has helped take his club up to second in the Premier League. 

We've got a clip from that interview here: 

There's also an interview with Southampton's Nathan Redmond as he prepares to take on table-topping Liverpool and, at the other end of the division, Hull's Michael Dawson talks about his side's vital relegation battle against Sunderland.

You can watch Football Focus by clicking the play button at the top of this page from 12:00 GMT.

We are surely at the stage now where nobody is surprised to see Wayne Rooney left out. Aren't we?

Gary Lineker
MOTD presenter

Rooney is on the bench, but could well join the party later.  

I'm beginning to think Henrikh Mkhitaryan is a myth. Like Keyser Soze. 

He is supposed to be Armenian. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever had but you never knew...

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Haldane: Feel leaving Giroud out could be an error from Wenger, he could trouble MUFC defence - very much hope I'm wrong

Anthony: Still no Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the matchday squad, what does he have to do eh?

Man Utd: de Gea, Valencia, Jones, Rojo, Darmian, Carrick, Ander Herrera, Mata, Pogba, Martial, Rashford. Subs: Depay, Rooney, Lingard, Blind, Young, Romero, Schneiderlin.

Arsenal: Cech, Jenkinson, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Elneny, Walcott, Ozil, Ramsey, Sanchez. Subs: Gibbs, Gabriel, Giroud, Ospina, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Xhaka.

Referee: Andre Marriner (West Midlands)

What do you think of that team news then?

Arsenal

And there are three changes for Arsenal. After some speculation it's confirmed that Alexis Sanchez does start.

In come Carl Jenkinson, Mohamed Elneny and Aaron Ramsey for Hector Bellerin, Granit Xhaka and Alex Iwobi. 

Manchester United

Jose Mourinho has made four changes to his Manchester United side - and the headline is that Wayne Rooney misses out.

Also out are the banned Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ashley Young and Marouane Fellaini.

In come Antonio Valencia, Ander Herrera, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford.