Friends become rivals once again on Sunday afternoon as Arsenal hosts Manchester City in a thrilling Premier League showdown at the Emirates Stadium. A victory for the reigning champions would narrow the gap between them and the Gunners to just three points a scenario that seemed almost impossible during City’s struggles earlier in the season.
Match Preview
Arsenal, who looked like the primary challengers to capitalize on any Manchester City setbacks, now find themselves in a must-win situation. Without victory over Pep Guardiola’s men, their title hopes could slip away.
Mikel Arteta’s side has rediscovered its form in the Premier League after a shaky start to 2025. Most recently, they secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite a controversial red card shown to Myles Lewis-Skelly, which has since been overturned. Riccardo Calafiori’s stunning strike proved to be the difference.
Regardless of Saturday’s results, Arsenal should remain in second place before this crucial encounter. They are the only team yet to lose a Premier League home game in the 2024-25 season, making the Emirates Stadium a fortress.
Since Gameweek 11, Arsenal has accumulated more points than any other team an impressive 29. That momentum carried over into their midweek Champions League victory over Girona. Despite falling behind to a shocking opener from former Tottenham player Arnaut Danjuma, Arsenal responded through a Jorginho penalty and a brilliant finish from Ethan Nwaneri, securing a 2-1 win and automatic qualification for the last 16.
While Arsenal will enjoy a well-earned break in February, City faces an intense two-legged Champions League playoff against Real Madrid. Guardiola’s team narrowly avoided an embarrassing early exit from the competition, coming from behind to defeat Club Brugge in their final group-stage fixture.
Before turning their attention to Real Madrid, City must first navigate this massive league clash. They appear to have regained their rhythm in domestic competition, boasting a six-match unbeaten run. Their latest Premier League outing saw them come from behind to defeat Chelsea 3-1, reinforcing their reputation for strong performances in the second half of the season.
Since January of last year, City has lost just one of their last 40 Premier League matches played between January and May. However, Arsenal has recently broken their dominance, remaining unbeaten in their last three league encounters with the champions. The last meeting at the Emirates in 2023 saw the Gunners emerge victorious thanks to a deflected Gabriel Martinelli strike.
Team News
Arsenal faces uncertainty regarding goalkeeper David Raya, who missed the Girona match with a muscular issue. While Arteta has not ruled him out completely, his availability remains in doubt.
Ben White remains sidelined with a knee problem, while Gabriel Jesus (knee), Bukayo Saka (hamstring), and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are also unavailable. However, Lewis-Skelly is free to feature after his red card was rescinded, and Nwaneri’s impressive midweek performance could earn him a starting role.
Manchester City continues to deal with injuries, with Rodri (knee), Oscar Bobb (leg), Ruben Dias (groin), Jeremy Doku (undisclosed), and Nathan Ake (muscle) all ruled out.
However, Guardiola will have three reinforcements available, as Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis return to the squad after being ineligible for the Champions League clash against Club Brugge. While Marmoush is likely to start, Khusanov struggled in his debut against Chelsea, making it unlikely he will feature prominently in such a high-stakes match.
Predicted Lineups
Arsenal possible starting XI:
Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Nwaneri, Havertz, Martinelli
Manchester City possible starting XI:
Ederson; Nunes, Akanji, Stones, Gvardiol; Silva, Kovacic, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Marmoush
