Arsenal

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola seems to have settled on a starting XI for the run-in, naming the same side that beat Chelsea last Sunday.

It means full-back Nico O'Reilly is fit to start after hobbling off at Stamford Bridge with an apparent hamstring issue.

There is a return to the squad for John Stones, who has not featured since 7 March in the FA Cup win over Salford.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly, Silva, Rodri, Doku, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta makes two changes for this monumental encounter.

Captain Martin Odegaard returns to the starting line-up in place of Gabriel Martinelli, while Kai Havertz starts up front by replacing Viktor Gyokeres.

As mentioned, both Riccardo Califiori and Jurrien Timber miss out for the Gunners.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Mosquera, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Odegaard, Eze, Zubimendi, Rice, Madueke, Havertz.

I covered Arsenal's draw with Sporting on Wednesday for 5 Live. The Gunners are good defensively, and got through the tie pretty comfortably, but their problem is they don't look like they are going to score.

There are still a lot of things that are good about Mikel Arteta's side with the way they press and how organised they are, but they are struggling to break teams down.

They are lacking that bit of flair in the final third, which is where you fancy City really, but then Arsenal don't need to win this game either.

A draw is a good result for them so Arteta's side are not going to approach it with all guns blazing - they will play with balance and, if they get the job done with a boring 0-0, they will be a step closer to winning the title.

As for City, I am often wrong but I am not as convinced by their recent form as some people are.

Even so, I do think they will edge this. The nature of this game means it is going to be tight and very stop-start but, whether it is Jeremy Doku or Antoine Semenyo, they have the players capable of producing the bit of magic they will need to win it.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Sunderland

• Everton v Liverpool

• Nottingham Forest v Burnley

• Man City v Arsenal (16:30 BST)

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction to the early games here and the late match here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Liverpool" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Man City v Arsenal", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

A victory for Manchester City over Arsenal in their eagerly anticipated top-of-the-table clash on Sunday (16:30 BST) would trim the gap on Mikel Arteta's side to a mere three points with a game in hand. BBC Sport looks at the key themes ahead of the match.

City blossoming in spring once again

Manchester City carry all the momentum going into their blockbuster title clash against a faltering Arsenal side that has seen their healthy lead at the top start to slip away.

Unrelenting City come into their own at this time of year and their record under Pep Guardiola in the spring is frightening. Since he took charge, they average 2.51 points-per-game in the month of April with a win rate of 79.5%.

City have only lost one of their last 19 league games (W12, D6) and are unbeaten in 14 at home since August, scoring at least twice in 12 of those matches.

They have a host of players hitting top form, particularly Nico O'Reilly, who was the scourge of the Gunners with a brace in the League Cup final. While the mercurial Rayan Cherki has become the first player to register 10 or more assists in their debut Premier League season since Dimitri Payet registered 12 for West Ham in 2015-16.

This is the latest into a season that City are facing the league leaders since April 2012, when they beat Manchester United 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium en route to securing what was a famous first ever Premier League title.

Arsenal looking to get back on track

A fragile and wounded Arsenal head to the Etihad having lost their last three domestic matches in three different competitions: Man City in the EFL Cup final, Southampton in the FA Cup, and Bournemouth in the Premier League.

Incredibly, the last time they lost four in a row domestically was in March 2018 and that included defeats to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and also in the Premier League.

After only suffering three defeats in their opening 49 matches of this season in all competitions (W37, D9), Arsenal have since lost three of their last five while their last top-flight victory came more than a month ago.

While City flourish in April, it is statistically Arsenal's worst month under Mikel Arteta - earning only 1.54 points per game and a 42.3% win rate.

Despite the air of anxiety surrounding the Gunners, they have booked a place in successive Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history.

Neither of the legs versus Sporting Lisbon were pretty, but Mikel Arteta has urged perspective amidst the maelstrom currently surrounding the club: "It's a massive moment," he says. "To be part of those four teams is great work. We are making steps that haven't been done at this club for 140 years. You have to earn it. You have to go through a lot of work."

At least they can fall back on a much-improved recent record against Manchester City in the league. Having lost 12 top-flight matches in a row against them they are unbeaten in their last five.

However, a victory at the Etihad is still proving elusive, they have failed to win on any of their last 10 visits there dating back to 2015.

Guillem Balague
BBC Sport Columnist

Image source, Getty Images

Former colleagues. Master and apprentice. Title rivals.

Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta's relationship has cut across a range of strands over the years and evolved along with their managerial styles.

The pair go head to head at Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a match many have billed as a Premier League title decider. A win for Guardiola and second-placed Manchester City would cut the lead of Arteta's Arsenal side to just three points, with a game in hand.

The Spaniards' relationship started in 1997 when Arteta joined Barcelona's academy - meeting his idol, Barca skipper and fellow midfielder Guardiola. Their time as team-mates was brief, but a friendship was forged.

Communication between the two managers cooled significantly when Arteta gave up his role as Guardiola's assistant in Manchester back in 2019 to take charge of Arsenal.

While the City boss's other former assistants maintained closer contact, Arteta stepped away - and that distance created silence.

While Arsenal learned to compete at the highest level, Guardiola continued to evolve.

That tension - between adapting and remaining faithful to an idea - defines the 55-year-old's career.

"He starts incorporating new concepts," said Pep Segura, former director of football at Barcelona. "Above all defensive transition, that's where he evolves enormously.

"Arteta incorporated more physical profiles than Pep. Pep seeks more technical players… Arteta looks for strength, speed, power."

But there are still plenty of points of convergence.

"Both have looked for pieces to improve the offensive transition," added Segura. "City with [Erling] Haaland… Arteta with [Viktor] Gyokeres."

There is an element where the comparison becomes most revealing. In elite football, what defines coaches is how they respond to difficulty.

Arteta is in that moment now. He has built a team capable of competing with the best. But the final step - winning consistently at the very top - is where he wants to get to.

Read more on Arteta and Guardiola

Scarlet Katz Roberts
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

I don't think there is an adequate word to describe how nervous I feel for Arsenal's trip to the Etihad. A sports psychologist would probably have a field day and say something about reframing my thinking. After all, this is an opportunity to effectively end the title race. But the only thing I can think of doing is scheduling an anaesthetic to kick in on Sunday, lasting until 27 May.

The strangest thing about this game is that it won't decide the title. Unless Arsenal win it of course. But if City win, then it's still in both team's hands to win the league. Part of the challenge for us will be handling the shift in momentum if the worst happens at the Etihad.

There are three things I admire about City (and despise in equal measure). One is a 6ft 5in Norwegian robot, the other two are Rayan Cherki and Jeremy Doku. The unpredictability and vibrancy with which they can create has no analogue in this current Arsenal side. Their talent is appallingly, terrifyingly good. In those three players, City always have the capacity to end things quickly and without warning.

That's the cruelty of defending against great players. You can have a brilliant 89 minutes, but they only have to beat you once and Arsenal limp to the Etihad without their first choice backline (yawn). Sure, when Bukayo Saka is at full tilt he has a claim to be one of the best attackers in the league. But a combination of injuries and poor form leaves us staring down the barrel of a Hail Mary start for a 16-year-old in our most important match of the season.

I'm sorry to say this - I really am - but in my current headspace, I can only see one outcome and it sickens me. We all know what this game is going to look like. Arsenal don't need to chase the win, City do.

My rallying cry to my embattled team would be, remember who you are. Please, remember you have been the best team in the country for eight months and if Erling Haaland wheels away celebrating an early goal from a Gabriel shanked clearance, it's not the end.

If we can escape with a point, I'll be mighty relieved.

Find more from Scarlet Katz Roberts at the Goal Difference podcast, external

Emily Brobyn
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

I'm not too nervous for Arsenal's visit at the moment but ask me again when I'm getting ready to head to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

I'd almost reluctantly accepted the fact that it was Arsenal's title when they could've gone 12 points ahead. Now the gap has been cut to six, it feels like an opportunity too good to miss for City, especially with the momentum in our favour.

It feels like it means the absolute world to Arsenal. It's been a long 22-year wait for them to bring the Premier League title home – that trophy has never even seen the Emirates Stadium! Mikel Arteta is being judged on one trophy in seven years too; this is the one where they've fallen short and this has to be the season for triumph. If it isn't, it could cost him his job. Will this game decide the title? It feels more like a must-not-lose for City when it comes to the title race.

In terms of the match itself, you can't look past set-pieces when it comes to Arsenal. That's their gameplan. They've mastered the art and, while it may be divisive, it has worked for them – so far. Will it be prove to be enough though?

City have generally been hopeless at corners, so we could learn a trick or two from them in that department. Victor Gyokeres has settled into Premier League life well too – he's a constant threat. They'll be desperate to get the job done on Sunday – a win would do it. A draw could even seal it.

But the question is - will Arsenal come to east Manchester and be brave? Will they play without fear? It may help not playing in front of the expectant Emirates crowd, but the Etihad will be a cauldron of atmosphere and it's about how they handle that.

At this point, it's about the ability to handle the pressure as much as what you can produce on the pitch. City are flying right now – they have their tails up and they'll smell blood. The attack of Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki has been lethal of late. Plus, we've recently triumphed over Arsenal at Wembley in the League Cup final.

Emily Brobyn is regularly on BBC Radio Manchester - find all their Man City audio here

Marissa Thomas
BBC Sport journalist

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the passing of former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger on Thursday: "Some very sad news so we want to send Alex, his family, and everybody that was part of his journey in his life our condolences and our love obviously because it was shocking news and difficult to take."

• Team news: "Bukayo Saka is out, that is for sure. The rest, let's see. Noni Madueke didn't look that bad after the game, he is quite positive and pushes through pain so I'm hopeful that he can be available"

• Arteta did not commit on the likes of Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafior, stating: "Some players are quite close so we will try tomorrow to push everybody."

• Discussing Arsenal's injury situation heading into the Manchester City match, Mikel Arteta said: "We have coped with it all season. If you look back at the stages and players we have missed for big, big periods and where we are? It is not normal where we are. But we have coped with that because of our mentality and the solutions that we find, the way the players have stepped up and we are where we are. We are still very strong and remain the same way."

• On reaching the Champions League semi-final again: "It was a great night, it really gives us a boost. To be part of the best European clubs is a big thing and we haven't been there often. We value that and huge credit to the players for what they have done. We have to use that fuel and that energy for Sunday for the big game that we have to play."

• On facing Manchester City: "We have earned the right to be in this position, to be challenging and with the opportunity to win and to win on Sunday, arguably against the best team and the best manager that this league has ever seen. That's a huge privilege and we cannot wait to play the game. We are going to prepare the game to win it. We are not going to spend one second talking about [a draw], we prepare every game to win and that's why we are where we are. We are going to continue to do the same."

• Arteta was full of praise for departing Man City captain Bernardo Silva: "Incredible player and incredible person as well. The first time I watched him live was a PSG-Monaco [game] and straight away I fell in love with him, not only the way he plays, the way he competes, the way he lifts the game. The desire, the hunger that he has and then obviously we spent four years together. He's a top guy, you see him in any circumstances and he delivers his very best. One of those players that I think has marked his history in the Premier League."

• Arteta said he wasn't sure if Martin Zubimendi was struggling mentally with a perceived drop in form but stressed it was the club's "responsibility" to give players the tools to "understand when they are not at their best", adding Zubimendi did in his most recent outing.

• Arteta was asked about starting teenager Max Dowman and said: "He will be ready. You throw him in in any contest this kid, you know what he is going to be delivering and he has shown that this season in whatever game we have used him."

• On Pep Guardiola saying the title race is over if Arsenal win: "There are six games to go. Obviously it is a really important one for both teams. But winning a game in the Premier League is so tough for everybody so after this one there will still be some very difficult matches for all of us and we will have to wait and continue whatever happens."

Listen to live commentary of Manchester City v Arsenal from 16:30 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Alex Howell
Arsenal reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Bukayo Saka is out of Sunday's game with Manchester City.

The winger has been dealing with an achilles issue and has not featured for the Gunners since the Carabao Cup final defeat by City in March.

Arteta also gave an update on winger Noni Madueke, who had to come off during the Champions League match with Sporting on Wednesday, but is hopeful the 24-year-old could be available.

"We have another training session tomorrow. He didn't look that bad after the game and he was quite positive," Arteta said of Madueke

"He is a player that pushes through pain so I am hopeful that he will be available but we will have to wait and see if he will be ready for tomorrow."

However, Arteta would not give specific updates on Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard or Riccardo Calafiori with "another training session tomorrow".

"We will try again. Some players are quite close but the turnaround is short.

"We will try tomorrow to push everybody and if they are in good position they will be part of us but if they are not, they will not, like they have not been for the past few weeks unfortunately."

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Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Arsenal have indeed finished second more often than any other club in Premier League history, which has been the subject of several questions sent in via our 'Ask about Arsenal' form.

The Gunners have been runners-up nine times, including in each of the past three seasons.

However, in five of those nine campaigns, Arsenal finished at least 10 points behind the champions so it is hard to argue they 'nearly' won the title in those seasons.

If we look at the number of times that clubs finished within six points of the champions – where turning a couple of defeats or a few draws into wins could have won them the title – then Arsenal share the tag of being the Premier League's ultimate 'nearly men' with both Liverpool and Manchester United.

All three sides have been pipped to the post four times in a Premier League title race, with the Gunners the most recent to narrowly miss out when they finished just two points behind champions Manchester City two years ago.

In fact, Liverpool fans could argue that their team are actually the Premier League's ultimate 'nearly men' given how close they have repeatedly come to winning the title.

While the Reds have only finished second five times to Arsenal's nine, the average number of points they've finished behind the champions is just three compared to the Gunners' eight.

On that metric, Arsenal sit in seventh when it comes to the title near-misses.

Liverpool most recently finished behind Manchester City by just a single point in both 2018-19 and 2021-22, despite amassing a whopping 97 and 92 points respectively.

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It's a simple question.

Whose position would you rather be in - Manchester City's or Arsenal's?

The team on Monday Night Club have had their say.

"You'd much rather be Arsenal," says Chris Sutton.

Watch Monday Night Club on iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Arsenal hold the edge in the race to snap up Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon with the 25-year-old preferring a switch to London over any other city. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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