Mikel Arteta is ready for the challenge of facing Pep Guardiola when Manchester City and Arsenal face off in a crucial Premier League match on Sunday.
The match between Manchester City and the Emirates is expected to be a crucial one in the race for the Premier League title.
While it’s not a must-win game for either side, Arteta is under pressure to deliver a result for his team.
It’s not every day that a team plays in a massive game against a top-tier team.
Since the start of the year, the Emirates has been one of the most consistent teams in the league.
However, they have lost some of their recent games against both Brentford and Everton.
After failing to close the gap on Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month, Manchester City was able to close the gap last weekend.
They defeated Aston Villa by a score of 3-1. Although they have played a game more, Pep’s men are still three points ahead of the Emirates.
While the VAR system was used during the match, Manchester City was also hit with a hundred charges by the league due to financial breaches.
Although the charges weren’t directly related to the game, they might still be brought up again in the future.
Since this is a crucial match for both sides, Pep knows how important it is to get the better of Mikel Arteta.
A win for Manchester City at the Emirates would put them above the London club on goal difference.
Manchester City vs Arsenal Head to head :
These two teams locked horns in the FA Cup just two weeks before, and then Manchester City managed to deliver a 1-0 win.
They are on a six-fixture winning streak against this opponent, and they even won 13 of the past 14 such clashes.
It is quite worrying that the Gunners last recorded a win at this stadium back in 2015, whereas Pep Guardiola’s men are on an active five-fixture winning streak at this stadium in the EPL.
Manchester City vs Arsenal Prediction :
With the title race seemingly wide open, Manchester City will be looking to take the lead when they visit the Emirates to face off against archrivals, the London club, on Saturday.
It’s a big ask for Pep Guardiola’s men, and the challenge will likely prove too much for the visitors.
The hosts have a superior home record this season, and they’re also more consistent than Manchester City.
A draw is more likely to be the outcome of the match at the Emirates.
Match Info :
Arsenal vs Manchester City English Premier League
Date: 15 February 2023, Wednesday
Kick-off at 20:30 UK / 21:30 CET
Venue: Stadium Emirates
Manchester City vs Arsenal Team News :
Despite the progress that Gabriel Jesus has made in recovering from his knee injury, he’s still a couple of weeks away from making his debut for the first team.
Mohamed Elneny, on the other hand, is set to be out for the remainder of the season after having knee surgery.
This season, both Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson have been struggling with injuries. According to Arteta, they’re not yet ready to contribute to the first team.
For the seventh consecutive league game, Arteta is expected to stick with the same lineup.
However, Trossard might get the opportunity to start ahead of Martinelli after he scored a goal at the weekend.
John Stones of Manchester City is expected to be out for the rest of the month due to a hamstring injury.
On the other hand, Erling Braut Haaland, the league’s top goal-scorer, might be unavailable due to a knock that he suffered during the match against Villa.
It’s not clear if Pep Guardiola will start with the same lineup that he used against Villa.
However, the likes of Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis, and Manuel Akanji can push for a starting position.
With Stones out, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne are expected to be joined by either Bernardo Silva or Gundogan in central-midfield.
Haaland’s possible absence could allow Julian Alvarez to start up front alongside Jack Grealish and Mahrez.
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli; Jesus
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Dias, Laporte, Ake; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish
