Man City vs Arsenal Preview: Team News & Prediction
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It isn’t a title decider and it isn’t a ‘final’ as many have dubbed it – but it perhaps is as close to as one can get as Manchester City welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / USA – NBC
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Telemundo
Man City preview: On the march
There have been false dawns in the last couple of seasons where Manchester City have regressed. They have threatened to produce one of their rampant runs of form before an uncharacteristic inconsistent slip – but this time may be different.
The Cityzens went into the March international break on the back of a 2-0 defeat of Arsenal at Wembley Stadium in the EFL Cup final before they then hammered Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals and then did the same to Chelsea in the Premier League.
Arsenal preview: Collapsing Gunners
While that has been going on with City, Arsenal have begun to allow their season to collapse with failure to win the EFL Cup backed up by FA Cup elimination at the hands of Championship side Southampton on Easter Saturday.
The Gunners then succumbed to a 2-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth last weekend to mean that if they lose this weekend, City will close the gap to three points with a game-in-hand on the Gunners as Mikel Arteta’s side wobble in April once again.
Man City team news: O'Reilly is fit
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Nico O'Reilly is 'fine', despite the England international having previously been deemed as a major doubt ahead of the weekend.
They do still have some defensive injury issues as, while John Stones edges his way back to fitness, Ruben Dias remains sidelined alongside Josko Gvardiol.
Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O'Reilly; Rodri; Semenyo, Silva, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
Unavailable: Gvardiol (Injured), Dias (Injured)
Questionable: Stones (Injured)
Arsenal team news: Saka out again
In his pre-match press conference, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that England international winger Bukayo Saka will again be unavailable this weekend.
He didn't provide much other concrete news with the likes of Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori, Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke all also potentially or even probably unavailable.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Rice, Zubimendi; Trossard, Eze, Martinelli; Gyokeres
Unavailable: Merino (Injured), Saka (Injured)
Questionable: Timber (Injured), Calafiori (Injured), Odegaard (Injured), Madueke (Injured)
Man City vs Arsenal prediction
For a second successive season, Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in midweek and yet the mood remains low. A scrappy and unconvincing goalless draw, to complete a 1-0 aggregate win against Portugal’s current second best side Sporting CP, has not allayed fears that an almighty collapse from quadruple favourites to trophyless again is on the verge of happening. Form, history, home advantage and the general vibe of both would suggest a comfortable City win and a damning Arsenal defeat may well be in prospect on Sunday afternoon.
Man City vs Arsenal tip: Man City to win
