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Manchester City host Arsenal at the Etihad in a massive showdown. Join The Roar from 3am (AEDT) for all the action.
Arsenal enter into this blockbuster on the back of a defeat at Everton on Tuesday, but have four wins from their last six games.
Meanwhile, City have won twice during that same six-game run, which illustrates just how much they have struggled over the past few months.
A chance to jump ahead of Liverpool and into second place on the table for the time being is on offer for both sides though, so it is sure to be a full-blooded affair.
Pep Guardiola is still adapting to life in the league, and has yet to decide upon a settled line-up. Injuries and suspensions have contributed to this constant state of flux at the club, but the fact that the Spaniard has made 15 more changes to his team than any other manager so far this season cannot be overlooked.
It’s a transitional period for the Citizens, and the fact that they are still positioned near the top of the table has been overlooked slightly as the pressure on Guardiola has increased in recent weeks.
Despite picking up a vital three points against Watford to stop their recent slide on Wednesday, City were dealt a potentially massive blow with the injury to Ilkay Gundogan. The German faces yet another lengthy spell on the sidelines after he suffered suspected ligament damage to his knee in the first half.
His loss will test the side’s strength in the middle of the pitch, with his calmness in possession and clever movement off the ball to be missed at a time when the fixtures come thick and fast. Coupled with the extended exclusion of Sergio Aguero through suspension, and the game is a tough proposition for the Manchester side.
Meanwhile, it was all going to plan for Arsenal before their disappointing loss at Goodison Park. Arsene Wenger’s men hadn’t tasted defeat since their 4-3 loss to Liverpool on the opening day, so the dropping of points against a struggling Everton outfit will have angered the French manager.
In truth, the Gunners have been lucky to escape with points at times recently. A prime example was their draw away to Manchester United, where they were woefully off the pace, yet to their credit escaped Old Trafford with a point. That and similar late results papered over the cracks slightly, but with a midweek defeat, the whole squad will be on notice and keen to get back to winning ways.
Incredibly, City haven’t beaten Arsenal in the league for three years. During that time, the Gunners have prevailed twice with narrow victories, while there has also been a glut of scoring draws.
You have to go all the way back to December 14, 2013, for City’s last win over Wenger’s men – a thumping 6-3 result at the Etihad, which saw the likes of Aguero, Fernandinho, and Alvaro Negredo all getting on the scoresheet.
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