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Arsenal face Manchester City in a highly anticipated Premier League showdown this afternoon as last season's top two teams aim to catch up with league leaders Liverpool. Both teams come into today's match buoyed by victories in their recent Champions League games.
The Gunners defeated Girona 2-1, securing their place in the Champions League last 16, while The Citizens triumphed over Club Brugge, qualifying for the playoff round after falling short of an automatic last 16 spot.
With European commitments now behind them, they turn their focus to domestic competitions.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are currently second in the Premier League after a narrow 1-0 victory over Wolves, a match that has garnered more attention for the controversial red card given to Myles Lewis-Skelly than for the critical win that keeps them within six points of Liverpool.
The Gunners’ success over Wolves has kept them close behind Arne Slot’s side, who still have a game in hand. Conversely, after a poor run at the end of 2024, City have rebounded, winning four out of their last five league matches and returning to fourth place. Is their title challenge back on? Anything is possible in football.
City's recent win over Club Brugge in the Champions League playoff rounds demonstrated their resilience, having to come from behind. They similarly overturned an early deficit to secure a 3-1 victory against Chelsea, raising hopes of a turnaround season.
Arsenal have Myles Lewis-Skelly available again after his red card against Wolves was rescinded last week, but David Raya is a doubt after missing the Girona fixture. Injuries continue to affect the squad, with defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Jesus all sidelined.
On City’s side, they are without Rodri, while Ruben Dias, Jeremy Doku, Nathan Ake, and Oscar Bobb face fitness concerns. Guardiola can deploy new signings Vitor Reis, Omar Marmoush, and Abdukodir Khusanov, who were ineligible for the Brugge match.
William Saliba played the full 90 minutes against Wolves after missing the previous two games due to injury. Ben White is nearing a return but has yet to resume full training.
However, Saka, Jesus, and Tomiyasu remain injured, although Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino returned to training after missing the win at Molineux.
Looking ahead to the match against Arsenal, Guardiola mentioned that Oscar Bobb is approaching a comeback after an extended layoff, but Jeremy Doku is unlikely to play due to missing the last two games and Ruben Dias is also out with a recent injury. Nathan Ake has missed several league matches but John Stones is back in contention.
Abdukodir Khusanov faced a challenging debut against Chelsea, while Omar Marmoush impressed in his first outing against the Blues.
Analysts emphasize the significance of this clash, especially for Arsenal, who have come close to ending their title drought over the last two seasons. Liverpool will gain a significant advantage in the title race if the Gunners falter at home today.
Arsenal’s recent resurgence in form poses a challenge for their opponents, who have seemingly returned to title contention. Chris Sutton, a BBC pundit, noted that despite City's recent improvement, he believes Arsenal will take the victory in this match.
He remarked, “This is a crucial game for the Gunners—historically, it has often determined the title in previous seasons. While City have shown progress, they are likely to concede again, as evidenced against Club Brugge.”
He anticipates a close match, possibly a 1-1 draw but ultimately believes Arsenal will emerge victorious, stressing the importance of set-pieces. Sutton highlights that Liverpool will be closely monitoring this match.
The previous encounter at the Etihad Stadium started poorly for Arsenal, with Haaland scoring after a defensive mistake. However, following Rodri’s injury midway through the first half, Arsenal found their footing. Calafiori responded with a stunning equalizer, and Gabriel Magalhaes added a second. Yet, after a red card for Trossard, Arsenal shifted to a defensive approach, which allowed City to equalize in stoppage time.
Amid post-match altercations, Haaland's comment telling Arteta to "stay humble" could serve as motivation for Arsenal in this must-win game to stay competitive in the title race.
INJURIES, SUSPENSIONS, AND POTENTIAL RETURN DATES
The outcome of today’s match might largely hinge on player availability from both teams. Arsenal and Manchester City have dealt with numerous injuries this season, and while some players are recovering, others remain sidelined. Below is a summary of players who are either injured or potentially available for today's match.
ARSENAL
David Raya
Status: Minor doubt
Injury: Unspecified
Expected return: Today (vs. Man City). Raya was not "fit" for the Girona match, putting his availability for the City game in question.
Gabriel Jesus
Status: Out
Injury: Knee
Expected return: Unknown
Jesus is recovering from an ACL injury and is at risk of being sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Bukayo Saka
Status: Out
Injury: Hamstring
Expected return: April 1 (vs. Fulham)
Saka is still a couple of months away from returning after hamstring surgery.
Ben White
Status: Major doubt
Injury: Knee
Expected return: Today (vs. Man City)
White is nearing a comeback and could possibly be included in the squad.
Takehiro Tomiyasu
Status: Out
Injury: Knee
Expected return: Unknown
No recent updates on Tomiyasu, whom Arsenal anticipate is not far from returning, but is not expected to play today.
ARSENAL’S SUSPENSION LIST
Arsenal have no suspended players, as Lewis-Skelly's red card against Wolves was overturned, clearing him of his three-match ban.
MANCHESTER CITY
Rodri
Status: Out
Injury: Knee
Expected return: Unknown
Rodri will miss the remainder of the season due to knee ligament damage sustained in a previous draw with Arsenal.
Jeremy Doku
Status: Out
Injury: Unspecified
Expected return: Unknown
Doku has been out since January with an unspecified injury.
Ruben Dias
Status: Major doubt
Injury: Unspecified
Expected return: Today (vs. Arsenal)
Dias is being assessed ahead of kickoff after missing a recent match post-injury.
Nathan Ake
Status: Major doubt
Injury: Unspecified
Expected return: Today (vs. Arsenal)
Ake has missed the last four matches due to injury and is doubtful for today’s game.
Oscar Bobb
Status: Minor doubt
Injury: Recovery from leg fracture
Expected return: Today (vs. Arsenal)
After a lengthy absence, Bobb has resumed training and could be part of the matchday squad.
SUSPENSION LIST
City have no suspended players for this match, and they will welcome back January signings, Marmoush, Khusanov, and Reis, who were ineligible for the Champions League midweek.
