Manchester United hope striker Wayne Rooney can mark his 19th birthday by ending another Arsenal unbeaten run in the Premier League's showcase game on Sunday.

Rooney was only 16 when he hit the headlines with a superb winner for Everton against Arsenal at Goodison Park in October 2002, halting the visitors' sequence of 30 matches without losing.

Now a United man since his August move, Rooney should feature in a mis-firing attack as Alex Ferguson's men try to stop the Gunners extending their latest undefeated run to 50 league games.

Despite a striking quartet that cost 65 million pounds ($118.9 million) to assemble, United, featuring Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Alan Smith and Louis Saha, have found goal-scoring an unexpected problem.

Although all four were on the pitch last weekend, Birmingham City were able to grind out a 0-0 draw to leave United with only nine goals -- compared to Arsenal's 29 -- in nine league games.

The return of central defender Rio Ferdinand has added steel to the back four, however, and United have a habit of raising their game against the champions.

In the space of a few days last season, Alex Ferguson's men came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Highbury and knocked the holders out of the FA Cup with a deserved 1-0 semi-final victory at Villa Park.

ARSENAL INJURIES

They could also capitalise an Arsenal side weakened by injuries, with skipper Patrick Vieira laid low by an ankle problem and standing only a 20 percent chance of another midfield battle with United skipper Roy Keane.

Fellow midfielder Gilberto is still out with a back injury, while winger Robert Pires and striker Thierry Henry picked up knocks in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Panathinaikos.

United certainly need to pounce on any signs of weakness by the champions, whom they trail by a massive 11 points, if they are to kick-start their title campaign after five draws and a season-opening loss to Chelsea.

Defeat might even end United's hopes of a ninth league title in 13 seasons with less than a third of the campaign gone.

The one certainty is that Arsenal, who sealed the league two years ago with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, will want to avoid a repeat of last season's ugly scenes, which led to four players being banned and the club getting fined.

Vieira was also red-carded in the tumultuous 0-0 draw last September, in which Van Nistelrooy missed a late penalty to keep Arsenal's fledgling unbeaten run in tact.

Now United get a second chance in a game that will be eagerly watched by Arsenal's nearest title rivals Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho's men, who are five points behind Arsenal, should have little difficulty beating struggling Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Third-placed Everton travel to Norwich City, Liverpool host Charlton Athletic and Newcastle United are at home to Manchester City, surprise 1-0 winners over Chelsea last weekend.