Arsenal have already lost 0-4 at Old Trafford in the FA Cup this season, and needed a last-minute equaliser to salvage a 2-2 draw at the Emirates Stadium in the League in November.

Morale is at its lowest point, as Arsenal's five-point lead has turned into a six-point deficit in less than two months. They are now lying in third place behind leaders United and Chelsea.

Their hearts were also broken after Tuesday's Champions League loss to Liverpool, following a controversial penalty.

'Arsene Wenger will talk about that for sure,' striker Emmanuel Adebayor said. 'We will meet in the dressing room and he will tell us what to do. He knows the words to use so that we can come back on the pitch and be more successful.'

But words have not been enough this season.

The manager spurned the chance to buy new players in January.

And, to the dismay of fans, he will again stick to his principles of blooding youth and resist the temptation to make wholesale changes this summer.

He will strengthen his squad, but without pandering to the clamour for extravagant spending on big-name signings, despite a £35 million (S$97 million) transfer budget.

Youth will again be the focus, with Hatem Ben Arfa, the 20-year-old Lyons winger, a top target.

Wenger is also planning to give greater opportunities to young players already at the club.

Carlos Vela, a 19-year-old Mexican striker, is expected to be recalled from his loan spell at Osasuna and Fran Merida, an 18-year-old Spanish midfielder, has been touted as the new Francesc Fabregas. Both are ready to step up from the reserves.

But youth has its drawbacks.

Arsenal were unbeaten in the Premier League until December, but their season disintegrated following losses to two of their fiercest rivals.

Tottenham routed Arsenal 5-1 in a League Cup semi-final in January, and United beat the Gunners 4-0 in the FA Cup less than a month later. The clobbering shook the confidence of Wenger's young Gunners.

Since then Arsenal, who have not won the League since their unbeaten season of 2003-04, have won just two of their 12 matches.

United manager Alex Ferguson believes Wenger has paid the price of having a squad with limited depth.

He said: 'Arsenal have had injuries in the second half of the season, making it difficult to rest players.

'They lost Abou Diaby, Denilson, Tomas Rosicky, Robin van Persie, and you can't win games consistently without your best team...not at the level we're at.'

Arsenal have another injury to contend with, after midfielder Mathieu Flamini was ruled out for three weeks with an ankle problem.

Gilberto Silva will take the Frenchman's place at the heart of midfield. He has issued a rallying call to his flagging team-mates, insisting Arsenal can still lift the Premier League title if they win all their five remaining matches.

'It's a big game. Maybe things can happen - you never know. The important thing is to try and forget what happened against Liverpool,' he said.

It is easier said then done.

'We were so close to the Champions League semi-finals but football decided it the other way,' Adebayor moaned. 'As a player, these things are very difficult to take. We scored, it was 2-2 with only a few minutes to go and I do not know how they managed to get a penalty.

'You can imagine it...within seven minutes we were in the semi-final. Then that all went away.'

Lose tomorrow, and their entire season fades away.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Manchester United v Arsenal
Live, Ch27 & Ch303, tomorrow, 10.55pm