When Man City takes on Arsenal, another team vying for the Premier League crown, on Sunday afternoon at the Etihad Stadium, they will be hoping to get back to winning ways.
Midweek saw City’s winning start to the season come to an end as they drew 0-0 with Inter Milan in their Champions League opening. Last season, City lost all of their meetings with the Gunners. Despite having 22 attempts against the Italian team, City was unable to get any of them past custodian Yann Sommer.
But now the focus returns to the Premier League and City’s season-opening matchup against a predicted title contender. In the last two campaigns, Arsenal pushed City at every turn, and that might happen again this time.
Before the match, City is aware that they may be able to use Kevin De Bruyne. The Londoners and City also drew goallessly in the Champions League during the week. Although the Belgian was substituted out against Inter, Pep Guardiola, the manager, is optimistic that he will be ready for selection.
Ederson, who has started every game in every tournament this season, is predicted to start in goal as usual. His goal is to record his first league clean sheet since City’s 2-0 victory over Chelsea on the first weekend of the season.
Regarding defence, Kyle Walker might make a comeback to the starting lineup, which would mean a back-four formation after Guardiola used a back-three in the middle of the week. Josko Gvardiol may start at full-back, leaving Walker to start at right-back.
Manuel Akanji, the starting centre-back for all of this season’s games, should continue to hold that position. Ruben Dias, who started last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Brentford on the bench, will be Akanji’s teammate.
Rodri should earn his first Premier League start of the season and start at the base of the midfield after making his debut this season against Inter.
Should he be judged well enough to start, De Bruyne ought to stay in midfield and offer the spark of creativity. Mateo Kovacic might come on as the third midfielder to offer some control in such a scenario.
Erling Haaland will undoubtedly lead the line in attack as he looks to score his 100th goal for City. In his first four Premier League games of the current season, he has nine goals.
Phil Foden and Jack Grealish might accompany the Norwegian on the offensive. The latter was substituted in at Wednesday’s halftime break.
City predicted XI vs Arsenal: Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Grealish.
