Arsenal will leave it late before deciding if Jack Wilshere is fit enough to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
The England international missed the recent victories over Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund with an ankle injury, but may recover in time to play at least some part.
Mathieu Flamini should feature after recovering from a groin injury though Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Yaya Sanogo and Abou Diaby all remain side-lined.
Victory for the Gunners will take them eleven points clear of the reigning champions, and, at the very least, maintain their five point advantage over Chelsea and Liverpool, who face West Bromwich Albion and Fulham respectively.
Former Gunner Robin van Persie opened the scoring in a 2-1 victory for United in last season’s corresponding fixture while their last meeting finished in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates in April.
Emmanuel Adebayor scored the only goal of the game the last time Arsene Wenger’s side took all three points at the Theatre of Dreams over seven years ago.
Meanwhile, Wenger has admitted to BBC Sport that it will be ‘strange’ to play this fixture without Sir Alex Ferguson in the opposition dugout.
The pair were the longest serving duo in the English top flight by a long chalk before Ferguson’s retirement in the summer.