Arsenal XI vs Manchester City – Predicted lineup and team news

The Football Faithful

·22 de setembro de 2024

Arsenal XI vs Manchester City – Predicted lineup and team news

Arsenal travel to face Manchester City on Sunday in the biggest examination of their title credentials.

Runners-up to the Citizens in each of the last two Premier League campaigns, the early-season encounter provides a chance for Arsenal to show their progress under Mikel Arteta. The Gunners took four points from their two meetings with Manchester City last season, including a goalless draw at the Etihad, though ended the campaign two points behind the four-in-a-row champions.

Vídeos OneFootball

💬 “As a club, we are strong in every sense.” ⚡
– sábado, 21 de setembro de 2024

Having already dropped points against Brighton earlier this month, Arsenal will feel this is a must-not-lose showdown with City, who have maximum points from their four games played.

The battle brings together Pep Guardiola and Arteta for their latest reunion, with the latter having cut his teeth on the coaching staff at Manchester City before taking the senior position at Arsenal. There’s plenty of respect between the Spaniards, who have been transformed from friends to rivals in recent campaigns.

Arsenal XI vs Manchester City – Predicted lineup and team news

Arsenal team news

Arsenal will be without the influential Martin Odegaard for the clash at the Etihad, after the Norwegian damaged ankle ligaments while representing Norway during September’s international break. Odegaard’s issue is worse than Arsenal first feared and there are concerns the Gunners could be without their captain until November.

Mikel Merino is still awaiting his debut after fracturing a shoulder in a training ground collision and the summer signing joins Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) and Kieran Tierney (hamstring) on the sidelines. However, there’s more positive news on Riccardo Calafiori and Bukayo Saka who both recovered from knocks to face Atalanta in the Champions League in midweek.

Arteta has decisions to make in midfield and further forward with Raheem Sterling pushing for a first Arsenal start against his former club. Gabriel Martinelli’s disappointing form continued in midweek and he could drop to the bench, with Leandro Trossard also an option for the North London side. In better news, Declan Rice’s return from suspension is well timed.