Predicted starting line-ups: Manchester City vs Arsenal (Premier League)
Manchester City return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon in a fascinating match against title rivals Arsenal.
Manager Pep Guardiola and his players have won each of their first four top-flight games this season – two at home and two away – and will be hoping to maintain that winning streak.
However, the high-scoring Premier League champions were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League after being held to a 0-0 draw by Italian champions Inter in the first match of the new league format.
City are not overly worried about the result, having created plenty of chances to win the game and knowing they have seven games left to make up for lost points early on in the competition.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back from a 0-0 draw with Atalanta in Bergamo in the Champions League but know defeat at the Etihad will leave them five points behind Pep Guardiola’s side.
On the injury front, Manchester City’s Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are confirmed to be absent, while Kevin De Bruyne is due to be assessed late during the club’s final training session on Saturday after suffering a groin injury on Wednesday night.
The most prominent Arsenal player missing from Sunday’s game was Martin Odegaard. The captain is ruled out with an ankle injury he sustained while on international duty with Norway during the last international break.
With Manchester City facing Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend, we predict what line-up manager Pep Guardiola is likely to choose for the 16:30 kick-off.
Predictions XI
There will be no changes to the goalkeeper this weekend, with Ederson starting for Manchester City.
Rico Ruiz has largely maintained his status as Manchester City’s first-choice right-back in the opening weeks of this season and is expected to continue in that role against Arsenal this weekend.
We expect Guardiola to keep the centre-back roles the same away to the Gunners, with Ruben Dias and Manuel Akanji forming a physical duo to challenge Arsenal’s attacking line.
With Nathan Ake unavailable through injury, Pep Guardiola has no choice but to start Josko Gvardiol at left-back and given the Croatian’s form, no one will complain.
Ballon d’Or-chasing Rodrigo will start in Manchester City’s only central defensive midfield position, and he is back and likely to remain in the team for the foreseeable future.
The biggest uncertainty is which Spaniards will start, but we expect the duo of Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden, who came on for the second half of the 0-0 draw with Inter, to start this game.
Guardiola has impressed in his appearances for Manchester City so far, but we believe he will look for a runner, positional versatility and control of possession, with Bernardo Silva likely to start on the right wing up front.
Erling Haaland is set to start up front as he hopes to score his 100th goal in a Manchester City shirt.
With Manchester City shifting to the left wing to complete their line-up against Arsenal, we believe manager Pep Guardiola will continue to place his faith in Jack Grealish, opting for the Englishman’s ability to retain possession over the attacking intensity and direct flair of Jeremy Doku.
Starting XI: Ederson, Luiz, Akanji, Diaz, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Foden, Bernardo, Haaland, Grealish.
Substitutes: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Stones, Kovacic, Nunez, McAtee, De Bruyne, Savinho, Doku.