Arsenal could use some good luck, because they've certainly had their fair share of bad luck.

On Sunday, the now-third-place club host leader Manchester United at Emirates Stadium, in a match that had been previously considered to have Premier League title implications.

But things took a turn for the worse this season for the Gunners when they became so injury-plagued at goalkeeper that they had to throw a desperation phone call to retired Jens Lehmann.

It also didn't help that the north London club had to deal with the hamstring of Cesc Fabregas, and the constant injuries to their most reliable forward, Robin van Persie.

Instead of contending for the Premier League crown, Arsenal have dropped to third place, as London rival Chelsea have fallen on good fortune and recovered from a once disastrous season to climb within striking distance of leader Manchester United.

The way Manchester United has played this season, luck and a great deal of talent will be the only way to overtake the famed club.

Sir Alex Ferguson's squad is clicking right now with Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernadez playing as well together as any two forwards outside of Barcelona's Lionel Messi and David Villa can.

I always used to admire Wayne from a distance. Now it is a pleasure to play alongside him. Our relationship is perfect, Hernandez told The Sun.

Without doubt Wayne is one of the best forwards in the world. Wayne is better than Lionel Messi - at shooting. And better than Cristiano Ronaldo - at heading. All their styles are different but Rooney is a super class.

Indeed, the Red Devils have an excellent attack and the club is in good health. Ferguson also has a great collection of bench players to choose from should the match not go in his favor, or if he would want to mix things up.

As strong as the Manchester United is at the moment, they know they need a win over hard-luck Arsenal. With Chelsea's improbable and controversial victory on Saturday, both teams have their eye on either closing in on the Blues, or breaking away from them.

At the moment, Manchester United has 73 points, Chelsea has 70, and Arsenal has 64, while Manchester City has 59 points.

For Arsene Wenger's club, finishing the season on a high note is paramount after some demoralizing results this season. A victory over rival Manchester United would offer hope to a club that never seemed to be completely out of the race up until last week.

After Sunday's match, the Gunners will have three matches remaining against clubs that are teetering on the bottom half of the standings, so a victory over Manchester United could lead to a four-match winning streak, in a best-case scenario.

There is more at stake than pride, as Arsenal will likely have central defender Johan Djourou in the starting 11. If the Swiss International contains Rooney and Hernadez, he may earn favor with Wenger, who will still no doubt be looking for a central defender to sign, even with the long-awaited recovery of starter Thomas Vermaelen.

The midfield remains strong for Wenger's side with Fabregas, Samir Nasir, and budding star Jack Wilshere, but van Persie needs more help up front. With this being the final meaningful match for the Gunners, some forwards need to prove their worth, as Wenger is likely to shop for a prominent goal scorer at season's end.

It will be interesting to see how much intensity Arsenal will be playing with. For all of its problems and setbacks this season, the club is still talented, and has the ability to over-achieve as it did against Barcelona in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the Champions League.

The way the Red Devils are playing, it will be a difficult challenge for Arsenal, even at Emirates Stadium. Rooney seems to have improved as the season has gone on, and the midfield has shown no sign of slowing down, especially with the return of Ji-Sung Park.

For most of the season, Manchester United have played like champions, while Arsenal have played with a black cloud over their heads.

Will things be any different on Sunday?

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