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Manchester United isn't out of the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League, but the club has the second leg of a Europa League semifinal to play on May 11, and a not insignificant list of players ruled out of this match by injury or suspension.
Manager Jose Mourinho has said he will rest players for his team's match against Arsenal, and the squad he has brought to London suggests he wasn't bluffing. Mourinho risks incurring the Premier League's wrath: there are rules against clubs fielding weakened teams that might threaten the perceived integrity or quality of competition in the league. But he will doubtless counter any criticism of his selection decisions with the fact his team played nine games in April and is looking at another five before the end of May - six if it can make the Europa League final.
So Mourinho will play the team he thinks best suits the longer-term objectives of Manchester United, and note that winning the Europa League brings entry to next season's Champions League just as surely as would a top-four spot in this year's EPL.
Among the players summoned from the Man United reserves to the first-team squad that traveled to London is Matt Olosunde, a former New York Red Bulls Academy player and the primary reason for RBNY fans to have any interest in this game. If he gets any time at all in the match, Olosunde will be making his Premier League debut.
Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four this season look increasingly forlorn, but would be kept alive a while longer with a win in this game. It's hard to imagine a loss at home to a Man United second-string would deeply impact Arsene Wenger's deteriorating relationship with his club's fans - that damage is already done - but it would remove all but the faintest chance of Arsenal qualifying for the Champions League.
As it stands, Arsenal's chances of making the top four in EPL this year look about as good as Olosunde's of playing this game: not great, but not impossible.
Per livesoccertv.com, here's where to find the game:
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