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After a traumatic turn of events in midweek, this Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man City has no shortage of people gunning for redemption.
RC Lens beat them 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, divesting the Gunners of their unbeaten start to 2023/24 and surely stoking a great deal of fury within Mikel Arteta’s ranks.
Arsenal vs Man City Premier League Team news
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Arteta confirmed in his post-match press conference that he does not know if Bukayo Saka will be fit to face City, after coming off injured before HT.
Gabriel Martinelli also did not make the squad, leaving doubts over whether he will recover from his injury in time. Jurrien Timber remains a long-term absentee too.
That said, both teams could miss key players for the clash, and so one could expect a cagey affair, even though City have generally got the better of Arsenal in recent H2Hs.
Arsenal predicted lineup
Raya – White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko – Rice, Havertz, Odegaard – Saka, Nketiah, Jesus
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man City – Our top three
Gabriel Jesus – City know his threat
The Brazilian hitman is no stranger to Sunday’s opponents, having spent six seasons at the Etihad Stadium. He is fresh off the back of scoring in midweek against Lens, and is usually a man for the big occasion, having netted against Manchester United to help beat them earlier in the campaign.
Aside from his goals, Jesus is always a handful, as only Thomas Partey can match him in the squad for average dribbles per game (two) in the PL, while nobody comes close to his shots taken per match (4.5) in the UCL. And with Rodri suspended, City’s backline is less protected, which is something Jesus could easily exploit.
Oleksandr Zinchenko – Another City graduate
Zinchenko is also a former City player, and so could well give inside information into how they may go about trying to win.
His ability to step into midfield and create an extra man from left-back could be vital to the Gunners winning the battle in the middle of the park, especially with the visitors weakened by Rodri and De Bruyne’s absences.
Martin Odegaard – Must step up
If Saka and Martinelli cannot play, most of Arsenal’s attacking prowess will be heavily weighted on Odegaard’s shoulders.
The captain has four goals and one assist in all competitions from midfield already this term, and managed an outstanding 15 goals and eight assists in the previous PL campaign.
Will Bukayo Saka play against Man City?
Injury status aside, Arsenal need to manage his minutes, as he has played in a staggering 87 PL matches in a row. As such, Arteta may be tempted to leave Saka on the bench in order not to aggravate his latest injury.
Still, he is clearly a key player for the Gunners, and starting him in such a big game may be worth the risk if the end justifies the means.
Arsenal predicted lineup vs Man City – The Final Word
This is a huge game for Arsenal in terms of facing their biggest opponents in the title race – much like last season. Winning the Community Shield gave them a mental boost, but that stood at 1-1 after regular time, and City have astonishingly beaten them 12 times in a row in the PL.
Nonetheless, the Gunners are at home, and should take some confidence from the fact that City lost to Wolves on the road, showing that they are beatable.
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