Sir Alex Ferguson welcomes back Nemanja Vidic from suspension but could be without 10 senior players for the game.
Nani joined a long injury list after sustaining a deep wound to his leg at Liverpool last Sunday, but Ferguson is hopeful of having Darren Fletcher back from illness.
Rio Ferdinand (calf) is amongst those definitely out but the return of Vidic should help stabilise a defence that has conceded five goals in its last two games.
Arsenal will be without captain Cesc Fabregas after the Spain midfielder aggravated his hamstring problem in the midweek Champions League defeat to Barcelona.
Robin van Persie is set to skipper the side having made a swifter than expected return from a knee injury to play at the Nou Camp, but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (hand) is out.
England forward Theo Walcott (ankle), midfielder Alex Song (knee) and centre-half Thomas Vermaelen (Achilles) remain unavailable.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Lindegaard, O'Shea, Rafael, Smalling, Brown, Vidic, Evra, Fabio, Gibson, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick, Obertan, Bebe, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov, Hernandez, King.
Arsenal (from): Almunia, Sagna, Koscielny, Djourou, Clichy, Nasri, Wilshere, Diaby, Rosicky, Arshavin, van Persie, Shea, Squillaci, Denilson, Ramsey, Chamakh, Eboue, Bendtner.
