The FA Cup 4th Round kicks off on Friday with Arsenal vs. Manchester United, the competition’s two winningest clubs with a combined 25 titles between them. Although the storied clubs are meeting early in the tournament, this matchup provides a huge opportunity for both managers to win their first trophies while in charge. United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has won seven out of seven across all competitions after becoming interim manager in December, but Arsenal manager Unai Emery will be full of confidence after out-coaching Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri and leading his squad to a dominant 2-0 victory over the Blues last Saturday. Here is everything you need to know to watch the Arsenal vs. Manchester United live stream online for free.
Arsenal vs. Manchester United
- When: 2:55pm ET, Friday, Jan. 25
- Where: the Emirates in London
- Watch: ESPN+
Arsenal vs. Manchester United: live stream
Cost: $4.99/month or $49.99/yeah (Free seven-day trial)
Devices: Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Android and Kindle Fire, Google Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, iOS and Android devices
The FA Cup will be broadcast exclusively online through ESPN+ this year, a development which makes the $4.99/month price for the service look even cheaper. For those of you wondering what ESPN+ is, the new streaming platform launched by ESPN last year has the rights to thousands of live broadcasts of leagues such as the MLB, NHL, Boxing, UFC, the English FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, the English League Championship, and the Italian Serie A. It remains to be seen whether or not later rounds of the 2019 FA Cup will be broadcast across ESPN Television or will continue to air online.
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Arsenal vs. Manchester United: Why it matters
In a fourth round usually centered on Davids vs. Goliaths, two of the top six meeting this early is not normally welcomed by the club’s fanbases. As a fan, you want to save your rivals until the end to get the easiest path to the cup, so whoever comes out on top Friday will probably be disappointed that there are still three games to the final. But as we often hear in college football, you don’t pick your opponents, and with the Premier League on a break this weekend there is every reason to expect full-strength lineups from both managers. This will be the final test of whether or not Man United under OGS is a rejuvenated team, or just experiencing the new-manager bounce. Prediction: Manchester United 3, Arsenal 2.
Is EPSN+ worth it?
For $4.99, ESPN+ gives subscribers an unprecedented level of access to live sports and sports history. It’s worth subscribing for a few months just to catch up on 30 for 30, but viewers who take the time to explore the other original programming will find just as much compelling content. While the lack of NBA and NFL live games is frustrating, the sheer number of games and events streaming on the service each month softens the blow. While ESPN+ won’t replace ESPN the channel, it provides a compelling alternative for sports fans who can’t afford, or just don’t want to pay for, a cable package.—John Michael Bond
New to cord-cutting? Here are our picks for the best movie streaming sites of 2018 and free live TV apps and channels. If you’re looking for a specific channel, here’s how to watch HBO, Showtime, Starz, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, AMC, FX, Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, CNBC, FS1, TBS, TNT, Golf Channel, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Bravo, Lifetime, Discovery, PBS, the CW, BBC, CSPAN, NBA TV, MTV, the Weather Channel, and NFL RedZone without cable, as well as free movies on YouTube. If you’re on the move, here’s how to watch Fox Sports Go and live stream NBC Sports.
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