Arsenal return to Premier League action after starting their Champions League campaign with a gritty 0-2 win away to Athletic Club on Tuesday, hosting Manchester City for on the weekend for another early test of the Gunners’ title-chasing aspirations.
Few matches have carried the same weight in recent seasons as the annual ties against Pep Guardiola’s side. They have become the club by which all others have been measured, and Mikel Arteta’s recent returns against his former boss/mentor have shown
that the student is ready to usurp the master at the top of the summit. After 14 losses from 15 meetings and years of being kicked around by the Citizens, the Gunners have tilted the tables in their favor in recent years, with 3 wins and 2 draws across all comps since the 2023/24 season, culminating in last season’s humbling 5-1 win over City at the Emirates.
Now City come to the Emirates in what feels like a reversal of the roles. After years of setting the pace, they are the ones entering with questions to answer and work to do. A busy winter and summer mean the Citizens are in a rare state of transition. Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta, after years of trying to get the starting XI right while navigating a thin bench, spent the summer filling out depth and solidifying an already-elite defense. It all feels so strangely familiar, but with shoes firmly on the other feet.
True to all major derbies, nothing is a given when these two sides meet, and the Gunners will need to execute flawlessly if they plan on putting Pep’s side to the sword once again. Can the Gunners capitalize on a City side enduring growing pains? Here are three talking points ahead of Sunday’s match:
Know the Enemy
The Pep Guardiola era has seen Manchester City ascend to the highest peak of club football over the past decade. Record breaking sides have made easy work of the competition, but everything that goes up must, eventually come down.
Last season showed cracks in the once-impenetrable facade when City limped to a third place finish after 4 consecutive league titles, enduring a stretch of matches from October to December where they suffered an unheard of 6 losses and a draw from 7 matches. The league was all but wrapped up for Liverpool before they mounted their usual red hot run-in magic, and they settled for a mediocre third place finish and no silverware for the first time in years.
In response to their dipping form, City did the only sensible thing: opening up the war chest and making a swath of signings. In January, they brought in 6 new players, spending £180 million in the process before making 7 more signings in the summer, including Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG, Rayan Cherki from Lyon, Raya Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton, and Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan.
The overhaul didn’t stop there. The summer also saw Pep move on from a few influential players, including Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish, Ederson, and club legend Kevin de Bruyne.
Many of the same names remain, including the prolific Erling Haaland who remains an omnipresent threat and shoe-in for early Golden Boot predictions. The fact that his 5 goals through 4 games so far is his worst start in a Premier League campaign tells you everything you need to know. Rodri is back, but still returning to full fitness, and Phil Foden has rediscovered some form in recent weeks.
They will be without a few key players on the weekend, though. Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Omar Marmoush, and Mateo Kovacic are all out, while John Stones and Rodri are questionable for Sunday.
One advantage for the Gunners could be City’s schedule, with their Thursday CL giving them a short three day turnaround. But big sides find a way to manage those, much like Arsenal did last season when they traveled to face Atalanta in the CL on a Thursday Night before turning around and traveling to the Etihad for what ended up being a brutally draining draw the following Sunday.
Injuries & Suspensions
Arsenal returned from Bilbao without any new injuries. A few players returned with some stitches and gashes after a few rough clashes of heads on Tuesday, but nothing that rules them out on Sunday.
William Saliba made the bench for the midweek match, which is a big boost. Likewise, Christian Nørgaard made his competitive debut for the Gunners after missing the first weeks with an undisclosed injury. Ben White, who made the bench for the Nottingham Forest match, was not included on Tuesday’s trip to Bilbao.
Neither Martin Ødegaard nor Bukayo Saka made the trip as both continue recovering from injury. Mikel’s pre-City press conference was full of the usual injury-related non-answers, giving no clear cut indicator about the availability of either player. Both appear to be nearing availability, but whether either make the cut for Sunday remains a matter of the mythical “late fitness tests.”
OUT: Bukayo Saka (hamstring), Martin Ødegaard (shoulder), Kai Havertz (knee), Gabriel Jesus (ACL)
PROBABLE: Ben White (undisclosed)
Predicted Lineup
Attack: Eze, Gyökeres, Madueke
The front three struggled to produce against Athletic Club at the same level they did against Nottingham Forest. However, there were continued flashes of their pedigree against a high-intensity side that were hungry to make an impact at home in their first CL match in a decade. Playing a more familiar foe at home should at least, mentally, present a more manageable challenge. Noni once again showed his tremendous impact in Saka’s place with a series of daring take-ons and plenty of pace to spare. Gabriel Martinelli’s late heroics and Eze’s struggles surely gives Arteta some food for thought and he could be a shout to start on the left. I think, though, that Mikel will lean on the same front three for one more go around before the EFL match on Wednesday.
Midfield: Rice, Zubimendi, Merino
Until Martin Ødegaard is available, there remains a gaping hole in the midfield that is not easily filled. Mikel Merino stepped in against Nottingham Forest and Athletic Club and could fill in once more. He’s not a sexy option, but he is consistent, physical, and smart. If Arteta opts to be more intrepid, Ethan Nwaneri could make the start. Eberechi Eze could also play there, but seeing as he is still learning the intricacies of Arteta’s system, a more veteran player makes a bit more sense in such a high-caliber affair.
Defense: Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba, Timber
The Cristhian Mosquera era has been a delight so far. In two starts and three appearances, he has been sensational. Be that as it may, William Saliba is the safe bet to start on Sunday. Erling Haaland is, quite literally, built different than the attackers Mosquera has faced so far. As much as I would enjoy a duel between the newcomer and the standard-bearer, Saliba’s experience wins out. The remaining starters are unchanged. You can’t argue with a lineup that has notched 4 clean sheets from 5 matches.
Keeper: Raya
Sunrise, sunset, Raya starts in front of the net. The league’s reigning Golden Glove winner notched another clean sheet at the San Mames and remains the starter for the Gunners.
The meat of the schedule is finally upon us, which means the separation begins. Arsenal began last season with a few early stumbles and never really recovered. Between red cards and injuries, there was always an unforeseen hurdle just around the corner that kept them from hitting their stride for too long. With improved depth, they have addressed at least one of last season’s frustrating aspects, and hopefully, that proves the difference maker on the weekend.
WHO: Arsenal vs Manchester City
WHAT: Premier League match day 5
WHEN: Sunday, September 21st, 11:30am EST/8:30am PST/4:30pm GMT
WHERE: The Emirates Stadium, London
HOW TO WATCH: Streaming on the Peacock app
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