In a rare occurrence under Pep Guardiola, the same starting XI will take on the Gunners this weekend which means Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte will continue in central defence and Gabriel Jesus is likely to play on the right wing again.
Teams
City: Ederson, Walker, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Rodrigo, Gundogan (c), Bernardo, Grealish, Torres, Jesus
Subs: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Sterling, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Doyle, Palmer
Arsenal: Leno, Cédric Soares, Chambers, Holding, Kolasinac, Tierney, Ødegaard, Smith Rowe, Xhaka, Saka, Aubameyang
Substitutes
Lacazette, Maitland-Niles, Tavares, Marí, Sambi Lokonga, Elneny, Ramsdale, Okonkwo, Martinelli
Formation: 4-3-3
No reason to believe City will approach this game any differently from last weekend, though there will obviously be tactical tweaks to suit this afternoon’s fixture.
Mikel Arteta and Pep know each other well, and it is likely both will be trying to second-guess what might happen today.
Whether City will spring a positional surprise during the game remains to be seen – but it should make for a fascinating game.
Gunners confidence booster
Much has been said about the quality of the West Brom side that were thrashed 6-0 in the Carabao Cup in midweek, but it is irrelevant.
The fact is that players who needed a lift most certainly got one, particularly Pierre Emerick Aubameyang who bagged a hat-trick, Pepe who was a threat throughout and Bukayo Saka who was bright and lively.
The training sessions on Thursday and Friday will have been brighter with more energy and they will look to get off to a confident start today.
The first goal will be crucial and hopefully, City will get it – otherwise this could be a tricky 90 minutes.
Facts and stats
- Arsenal have lost each of their last eight Premier League meetings with City, their joint-longest run of consecutive defeats against a specific opponent in their league history (also 8 vs Leeds between 1973-1976).
City are unbeaten in their last 11 league games against Arsenal (W9 D2) since a 2-1 defeat at the Emirates in December 2015. They’ve taken 28 of a possible 30 points against the Gunners under Pep Guardiola (W9 D1).
- City have kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven league meetings with Arsenal, including the last four in a row since a 3-1 home win in February 2019.
- Arsenal have lost their last six games against reigning Premier League champions, conceding exactly three goals in each of the last five. The Gunners have won just one of their last 17 away league games against reigning champions (D6 L10), with that victory coming at Manchester City in January 2015 (2-0).
- Manchester City have won both of their last two Premier League home games by a 5-0 scoreline. In Premier League history, only Man City themselves (October 2017) and Chelsea (August 2010) have won three consecutive home games by 5+ goals before.
- Arsenal have lost their opening two league games for the second time in the last four seasons, having done so in just one of their previous 63 campaigns before this. In their league history, the Gunners have only lost each of their first three league games on four occasions – 1894-95 (second tier), 1921-22, 1923-24 and 1954-55 (all top-flight).
- Arsenal have failed to score in their first three league games in just two of their previous 117 seasons, doing so in 1904-05 and 1953-54. However, they picked up at least one point in their opening three games in both of those campaigns.
- Arsenal have had 28 shots in their two Premier League games this season but have an expected goals total of just 1.54. Their xG-per-shot of just 0.06 is the joint-lowest in the division so far this season.
- Man City’s Raheem Sterling has been involved in seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Arsenal (5 goals, 2 assists), netting in each of his last four against the Gunners including the only goal in both meetings last term.
- Man City’s Rúben Dias (72) and Jack Grealish (60) have made more ball carries than any other players in the Premier League so far this season, while Grealish has carried the ball further than anyone else so far (739 metres).
