Manchester United v Arsenal - Monday January 24, 20:00GMT

The Premiership title race steps up a gear on Monday night, when one of the biggest fixtures in English football takes place at Old Trafford.

Champions and hot favourites Manchester United are keen to get their league campaign back on track after their three-week break for the World Club Championships in Brazil.

But if there is one team in the land in recent years who have come close to matching Alex Ferguson's triumphant side, then it is Arsenal.

The north London outfit are desperate for a result at OId Trafford, with manager Arsene Wenger aware that defeat could effectively end the Gunners' chances of catching their rivals.

United are well set in second place in the table on 43 points. Crucially they have three games in hand on leaders Leeds and third-placed Arsenal, who also have 43.

Make or break time

Wenger knows that defeat is unthinkable, with Ferguson's vastly experienced collection of winners unlikely to throw away too many points in the run-in.

"If they beat us United would be three points ahead of us with three games in hand and so that could virtually mean 12 points," the Frenchman said.

"Leeds can still stop them as well as us and I think any neutrals will want that to happen because they like to see three or four teams racing for the title right to the end.

"But we would be living in dreamland if we think we can lose on Monday and still win it. It's hard to imagine United slipping up from a position like that."

United are fresh and virtually at full strength following their South American sojourn - with only the injured Paul Scholes and African Nations Cup participant Quinton Fortune unavailable.

But Arsenal's cause has not been helped by the selection problems facing Wenger - particularly up front.

Strikeforce decimated

Dutch stars Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars still injured, Nwankwo Kanu is on African Cup of Nations duty and Davor Suker is suspended.

That means Thierry Henry is likely to bear the brunt of attacking responsibility on his own, with Fredrik Ljungberg and Ray Parlour asked to get forward in support as often as possible. Irish youngster Graham Barrett may play a part at some stage

Influential skipper Tony Adams is absent in defence, while Brazilian fullback Silvinho continues to keep out veteran Nigel Winterburn.

"For me, Nigel is still a first-class defender but I am playing Silvinho now because it is the long-term future that is important," Wenger explained.

"Silvinho is a strong character and a gifted man. He's doing well and I'm very happy with him."

Yorke raring to go

United striker Dwight Yorke has given Ferguson a timely boost with the news he will only miss one game - away to Newcastle - on international duty with Trinidad and Tobago.

There had been fears he would be away for up to seven weeks for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but a compromise has been reached with his national team.

And Yorke is fully aware just how important the visit of Arsenal is to his side's hopes of retaining their Premiership crown.

"It would be a mental thing and a physical thing if we got the three points," he said.

"That would knock them back, especially with them being one of our closest rivals.

"It would also be a huge confidence booster for all of us if we won and it's a game we are all really looking forward to.

"Arsenal are coming off a really bad result against Leicester, but they will certainly be up for this one and we know that."

Midfield fireworks

One of the most widely-anticipated confrontations at Old Trafford will see Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira - two of the most combative midfielders in the country - go head-to-head.

The pair clashed memorably at Highbury in August - a match United won 2-1.

Both players might easily have been sent off - the Irishman for a succession of fouls on Vieira, who eventually responded with a head-butt that was more gesture than violent but still probably worthy of a red card.

Wenger shrugged off suggestions that Vieira's volatile nature - most obvious when he was banned for six games for spitting against West Ham - could harm his side's chances.

"We will need his influence on Monday," the Arsenal boss said. "I've no worries about his behaviour against Keane.

"Patrick has not lost any of his aggression since he came back from the suspension but I believe he has learned a few things about control."