Arsenal v Manchester United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a reminder of when this rivalry ruled English football

FA Cup fourth round clash at Emirates Stadium on Friday pits two Premier League heavyweights against each other

Marc Overmars of Arsenal scores the winner against Manchester United in 1998. The victory put Arsenal on the path to winning Wenger's first Premier League title. Getty Images

Roy Keane of Manchester United clashes with Patrick Vieira of Arsenal during a Premier League match in 1999. Getty Images

Ryan Giggs of Manchester United scores the winning goal in the 1999 FA Cup semi final replay. United went on to secure a treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League. Getty Images

Thierry Henry of Arsenal celebrates a goal against Manchester United in 2000. The volleyed goal is considered one of the best in Premier League history. Getty Images

Fredrik Ljungberg of Arsenal celebrates during match at Old Trafford in 2002. Arsenal won the match 1-0, and were crowned Premier League champions. Getty Images

Ruud van Nistelrooy of Manchester United is mobbed by Arsenal players after missing a penalty in 2003. The Arsenal players had accused van Nistelrooy of diving. Getty Images

Arsene Wenger of Arsenal argues with Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United during a Premier League match in 2004. Getty Images

Wayne Rooney of Manchester United battles with Patrick Vieira of Arsenal during a Premier League match in 2004. United won the game to end a 49 game Arsenal winning streak. Getty Images

The match up between the two in teams in 2004 was a bad tempered affair, and ended with Arsenal players throwing pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson after the game. Getty Images

John O'Shea of Manchester United celebrates the fourth goal in a 4-2 win against Arsenal in 2004. The game begun with a heated exchange between Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane in the tunnel prior to kick off. Getty Images

The Arsenal team celebrate Patrick Vieira scoring the last penalty to win the FA Cup Final against Manchester United in 2005. Getty Images

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger looks on after being sent to the stands during a Premier League match against Manchester United in 2009. Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United celebrates scoring the second goal of the game during the Champions League Semi Final 2nd leg against Arsenal in 2009. Getty Images

Manchester United defeated Arsenal 8-2 in 2011, Ahsley Young is seen here socring the second goal of the match. Getty Images

If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has transported Manchester United back to an earlier era, the caretaker manager may be making two clubs feel nostalgic.

When Arsenal host United on Friday night, an FA Cup meeting will pit the sides fifth and sixth in the Premier League against each other. Solskjaer is an immediate reminder of the time it was English football’s defining match. “Always the closest rivals,” he said. “The games were just fantastic.”

United’s caretaker manager arrowed in on one of the best, remembered in part for Ryan Giggs’ extraordinary extra-time replay decider. He feels it determined two trophies. "The semi-final in 1999 is such an important game,” said Solskjaer. “When Peter [Schmeichel] saves the penalty, it gives us the advantage. If Dennis Bergkamp had scored, they would have won the double."

Instead, thanks to Solskjaer’s injury-time intervention against Bayern Munich, United registered a historic treble.

There will be no such repeat. United and Arsenal have lesser aims now. The inheritance of two recent arrivals in the dugouts ensures as much. This will be only the second meeting since 1986 to involve neither Arsene Wenger nor Alex Ferguson, authors of an epic series of contests. Unai Emery and Solskjaer form more of a mutual admiration society than predecessors who ended up as friends but whose enmity was often bitter.

"Obviously Arsene and the gaffer were the two longest-serving managers in my era and they were fantastic — an institution in their clubs,” said Solskjaer. “But Unai is tactically very good, so I think they've made a very good signing."

Emery was similarly complimentary about his counterpart in comments that also served as an indictment of the sacked Jose Mourinho. “It's a different team,” said the Spaniard. “It's the same players but they're playing with a big performance now.”

Solskjaer has travelled south with a 100 per cent record – seven wins from seven – and the breezy optimism to see the FA Cup tie as an opportunity, rather an unwanted distraction from the quest to secure a top-four finish.

Chris Smalling has resumed training but is unlikely to feature while Marouane Fellaini and Marcos Rojo are absent again. One centre-back who could play, for the first time since his red card against Bournemouth, is Eric Bailly. The Ivorian has had a stop-start season at Old Trafford but was reportedly targeted by Arsenal in their quest to strengthen an injury-hit defence.

Solskjaer sounded unworried. "I'm not surprised if they do [want him],” he said. “But that's just one of those things. There's always speculation and it's not a big surprise."

By restoring a feelgood factor, he could help United keep players, rather than losing them. One objective is to get David de Gea, who was outstanding when United won at the Emirates Stadium last season, to commit to a long-term deal.

Anthony Martial, a scorer in November’s 2-2 draw between these clubs, seems to be closer to signing a five-year deal. “I think the club is making progress,” Solskjaer said. “Hopefully we can have some good news in the coming weeks.”

If two men who connect these clubs, Arsenal’s United old boys Danny Welbeck and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, are injured, a third offers intrigue as Alexis Sanchez will make his first return to the Emirates.

Solskjaer warned that jeering him may backfire. “He’ll be involved,” he said. “I think he’ll love it if the crowd turn against him. As a player, pride kicks in and you think: ‘I’ll show all of you’. He’s been fantastic in training, his attitude has been spot on so hopefully he’ll enjoy the game.”

But Arsenal have become accustomed to targeting long-time friends. Their build-up included a day of paintball. Now for the football.