MANCHESTER CITY look to have one hand on the Premier League trophy but have a tough game against Arsenal next.
Pep Guardiola’s side have already beaten Arsenal twice this season, but he’ll be after a third successive victory against his old apprentice Mikel Arteta.
- Start time: 4.30pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Premier League
- Arsenal XI: Leno, Bellerin, Holding, Mari, Tierney, Elneny, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Pepe, Aubameyang
- Man City XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Sterling
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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What time does Arsenal vs Man City kick-off?
- Arsenal’s huge game with Man City will get underway from 4.30pm UK time on Sunday, February 21.
- The clash will take place in London at the Emirates Stadium.
- There will be no fans in attendance because of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.
ARTETA’S THOUGHTS
In Arsenal’s free matchday programme, boss Mikel Arteta touched on Thursday’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Benfica in Rome.
He said: “With the number of chances we created, and the dominance that we showed throughout the 90 minutes, you have to say we should be in a much better position going into the second game next week.
“It comes down to not being ruthless enough in the opponents’ box and then we gave them a goal to take the lead.
“First of all with their goal, we gave the corner away in an area of the pitch where you can not play like that.
“Afterwards the penalty decision does look harsh.
“I’ve seen it again and I think he touched the ball on his body maybe before it touches his hand.
“They can be given though, and for me I’m more upset about what led to the corner before-hand, in an area we should not be playing, than I am with the penalty decision.”
‘HE WAS AMAZING’
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has praised Man City’s main man Ilkay Gundogan.
He said: “I played with him at Borussia Dortmund, and he was amazing there as well.
“When I was playing with him he was the type of guy who could bring you the ball, get you moving forward and of course he can also score goals as well.”
CROYDON KBD
Emile Smith Rowe has been top class for Arsenal this season! Nothing better than seeing a youngster rising through the ranks.
RAHEEM THE DREAM
Man City’s Raheem Sterling has been involved in six goals in his last five Premier League games against Arsenal (4 goals, 2 assists), finding the net in each of his last three against the Gunners.
CITY ARRIVE
Man City have arrived at the Emirates – a win will take them TEN points clear at the top of the Premier league!
SUNDAY FUNDAY
This will be Pep Guardiola’s 50th Premier League game played on a Sunday with Manchester City (W32 D8 L9).
With the Spaniard winning 65% of those matches; the best win rate by a manager on this day of the week in the competition’s history (min. 10 games).
ONE TO WATCH
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored five goals in his last two Premier League starts, netting twice against Newcastle, followed by a hat-trick against Leeds.
The last Gunners player to score 2+ goals in three consecutive league starts was Derek Tapscott in March 1956, who scored braces against Portsmouth, Everton and Preston.
DANGER MAN
It looks like De Bruyne is starting up top for Man City today, with Raheem Sterling to his left and Riyad Mahrez to his right.
Despite struggling with injuries this season, De Bruyne has managed to scored three and provide ten assists.
CAPITAL GAINS
Manchester City have scored 3+ goals in each of their last three Premier League games against London sides (3 v Chelsea, 4 v Crystal Palace, 3 v Tottenham).
In the competition’s history, only Liverpool in 2001 and Sheffield Wednesday in 1994 have scored 3+ goals in four consecutive games against teams from the capital.
ARTETA’S ARSENAL
Lacazette is Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League!
And Smith Rowe, despite breaking into the side a couple of months ago, is leading Arsenal’s assists chart.
CITY BENCH
2 Walker, 9 Jesus, 10 Aguero, 13 Steffen, 14 Laporte, 16 Rodri, 21 Torres, 22 Mendy, 47 Foden.
MAN CITY XI
Pep Guardiola makes five changes from their 3-1 win over Everton.
31 Ederson; 11 Zinchenko, 5 Stones, 3 Dias, 27 Cancelo; 8 Gundogan, 25 Fernandinho (c), 20 Silva; 7 Sterling, 17 De Bruyne, 26 Mahrez.
GUNNERS BENCH
6 Gabriel, 8 Ceballos, 9 Lacazette, 12 Willian, 17 Cedric, 23 Luiz, 32 Smith Rowe, 33 Ryan, 35 Martinelli.
ARSENAL XI
1 Leno; 2 Bellerin, 16 Holding, 22 Mari, 3 Tierney; 25 Elneny, 34 Xhaka; 7 Saka, 11 Odegaard, 19 Pepe; 14 Aubameyang (c).
THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
STAT ATTACK
Ilkay Gündoğan is Man City’s top scorer this season.
He is in contention for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award!
HOME TURF
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six home Premier League games (W3 D3), after losing each of the previous four such matches.
The Gunners have scored 3+ goals in each victory in this run, while they have kept a clean sheet in three of the last four.
Credit: Getty Images
FIVE OF THE BEST
Arsenal have shared five of the best goals they’ve scored against today’s opponents Man City!
Take a look at that assist from Thierry Henry…..
TOP SPOT
Arsenal have won just three of their last 18 Premier League games against the side starting the day of the game in top spot (W3 D4 L11), winning last time out against Liverpool in July 2020 (2-1).
They last won consecutive such games in August 2007, when the second win in that run came at home to Man City (1-0).
Credit: Getty Images
THROWBACK
Man City have shared some of their best goals against today’s opponents Arsenal.
The first one is a beauty by Man City legend David Silva!
TABLE CHECK
Man City will stay top of the Premier league table by some margin no matter what the result is today.
As for other results today, West Ham beat London rivals Tottenham 2-1 at the London Stadium taking them into the top four.
And Leicester City are currently beating Aston Villa 2-0.
If the Foxes manage to hold on, they’ll move up into 2nd on 49 points.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Arsenal have lost their last seven league games against Man City – the Gunners have only ever lost more consecutively against Leeds (8 between 1973-1976).
The Gunners have failed to score in their last three home league games against Man City, losing each time. The Gunners have never failed to find the net in four consecutive home league games against an opponent in their history.
Since losing 1-2 at the Emirates in December 2015, Man City are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League meetings with Arsenal, scoring at least twice in nine of those games.
Man City beat Arsenal 4-1 at the Emirates earlier this season in a League Cup tie – only two teams have ever won away at the Gunners twice in the same season; Nottingham Forest in 1987-88 and Aston Villa in 1993-94.
Credit: Getty Images
GOOD AFTERNOON
And welcome to the live blog for Arsenal vs Manchester City!
Pep Guardiola’s City will be looking to pick up another valuable three points on their march to reclaim the Premier League title.
Man City have won their last 17, yes 17, matches across all competitions, with 12 of those coming in the league.
As a result, City are now ten points clear at the top of the table, 16 points clear of defending champions, Liverpool.
But standing in Pep’s way of three points this afternoon is former apprentice, Mikel Arteta.
Arteta’s Arsenal sit 10th in the Premier League and 22 points behind the league leaders.
And the next seven fixtures are season-defining for the Gunners.
They face City, Benfica, Burnley, Tottenham, West Ham and Liverpool – and four of those teams are above them in the Premier League table!
In terms of team news, Thomas Partey could feature for the hosts today after overcoming a hamstring injury.
Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is expected to start after scoring a hat-trick against Leeds last week.
And Kieran Tierney could come back into the starting line-up.
As for City, Kevin De Bruyne could make his return into Pep’s starting XI after returning from a hamstring injury mid-week against Everton.
Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are all expected to start.
The teamsheets are due to be released in half an hour, so don’t go anywhere!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
