Paul Scholes: Why Manchester United's rivalry with Arsenal has lost its sparkle

Previously United and Arsenal were the twin powers of Premier League football, tussling for titles.

However, ahead of their FA Cup quarter-final showdown on Monday (7:45pm), United great Scholes thinks the rivalry has been in decline for a while.

"It brings it home to you how much Manchester United’s rivalry with Arsenal has dwindled over the last 11 seasons when you tot up the head-to-head going back to the start of the 2004-2005 season," Scholes told The Independent.

"I make it 17 wins for United, five draws and six wins for Arsenal. Mind you, I’m including in those six Arsenal wins the 2004 Community Shield and the FA Cup final the following May that they won on penalties.

"I’m including in those six Arsenal wins the 2004 Community Shield and the FA Cup final the following May that they won on penalties. I still can’t let that 2005 Cup final go. We should have won it.

"When United face Arsenal on Monday in the FA Cup at Old Trafford, it is hard to see Arsenal winning even though it has been far from a great season for Louis van Gaal’s team. 

"Cup games are always different but on a wider note, I think it will also be United against Arsenal for fourth place over the next 10 games in the Premier League. Liverpool look to me like the best bet for third. They are certainly playing better football than either United or Arsenal.

"When it came to playing Arsenal over the last eight years of my career at United, we always went into games against them feeling like we would win – and we usually did. 

"Years earlier I played in the 6-1 win over them at Old Trafford in February 2001.

"When you look back on that Arsenal team there were some good players and the next season they won the title, beating us at Old Trafford. Since 2004, the decline has  been obvious."