The final two Premier League campaigns have seen Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis duel for glory however this yr is a tad completely different.
Few would have anticipated the reigning Premier League champions to be the crew enduring an underwhelming and inconsistent season, however Pep Guardiola’s conquerors have surrendered their standing as England’s finest crew this time period.
Nonetheless, it is not Arsenal which have taken the mantle, with the Gunners this time battling Liverpool for high flight supremacy. Mikel Arteta’s males try to maintain tempo with the league leaders because the marketing campaign’s conclusion attracts nearer.
Sunday’s battle between Arsenal and Man Metropolis might have long-lasting penalties on this yr’s title battle, with Arsenal determined for victory at house to the Cityzens for the second successive season.
With September’s meeting throwing up plenty of drama and chaos, listed here are the important thing battles that would show pivotal on the Emirates Stadium.
The battle on the Etihad Stadium again in September was epitomised by the ferocious skirmish between Arsenal centre-back Gabriel and Man City ahead Erling Haaland. The 2 have been locked right into a feisty particular person duel for a lot of the competition and neither walked away with the spoils because the ten-man Gunners conceded extremely late to John Stones throughout a 2-2 draw.
The pair steadily locked horns in Manchester, together with an incident during which Haaland threw the ball behind the defender’s head, and they’ll renew their rivalry on Sunday.
With William Saliba again for the Gunners, Haaland will as soon as once more attempt to isolate Gabriel. The centre-back just isn’t fairly in the identical stratosphere as his defensive associate regardless of having flourished over the previous 18 months.
Gabriel will endure a troublesome afternoon in his makes an attempt to maintain Haaland beneath wraps, with the resurgent Norwegian having now scored three in his final 4 matches. The bodily method of each will undoubtedly seize the eye of audiences on Sunday and the winner of the battle might effectively have fun the bragging rights come the ultimate whistle.
There are many similarities between Martin Odegaard and Kevin De Bruyne. The duo share some key attributes, together with an easy gliding gait and distinctive passing vary, and they’ll each be integral to their aspect’s success on the weekend.
Particularly, Odegaard might have an infinite influence. With Bukayo Saka injured, Arsenal will rely much more on the ingenuity of their skipper, who will carry the artistic burden for his crew virtually single-handedly. Working in the correct half-space that his counterpart De Bruyne loves a lot, he ought to get pleasure in opposition to a misfiring Man Metropolis defence.
De Bruyne’s affect on the reigning champions is waning with each passing month however the Belgian can nonetheless be a difference-maker in north London. He has supplied 4 assists because the flip of the yr and may nonetheless be an astonishing creator on his day.
Omar Marmoush was arguably not a signing that Man Metropolis wanted to make however that does not detract from his apparent high quality. The Egyptian loved a meteoric rise throughout his time with Eintracht Frankfurt and managed 33 targets contributions in 26 matches for the German outfit earlier than his January exit.
The speedy and medical ahead, who can function as a central striker or winger, made his Man Metropolis debut in opposition to Chelsea final weekend and is in line to start out on Sunday having missed the Champions League clash with Club Brugge midweek.
The Egyptian will probably come up in opposition to Jurrien Timber on the Emirates and it needs to be an intriguing battle between the pair. The Arsenal defender has carried out effectively in a variety of roles this time period however can have his work lower out to disclaim Man Metropolis’s new recruit.
Having just seen Arsenal bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, Kai Havertz now is aware of his place is beneath risk. The German has come beneath fireplace over the previous month for his wastefulness in entrance of objective and Gabriel Jesus’ season-ending harm has solely piled extra stress on his shoulders.
However Havertz has scored two in his final 4 appearances and is at all times a gamers who creates possibilities by way of his intelligent second and technical high quality. Discovering his capturing boots on Sunday might be integral to Arsenal’s success.
Manuel Akanji might be one of many centre-halves tasked with stifling Havertz and the highly effective Switzerland worldwide coped effectively with the previous Chelsea man through the reverse fixture, limiting him to only a single shot and an xG of 0.07.
