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Arsenal logo
Premier League | Gameweek 25
Feb 21, 2021 at 4.30pm UK
Emirates Stadium
Manchester City logo

Arsenal
0 - 1
Man City


Xhaka (53'), Bellerin (87')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Sterling (2')
Silva (51'), Cancelo (64')

How Manchester City could line up against Arsenal

Sports Mole looks at how Manchester City could line up for Sunday's Premier League showdown with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City will be looking to make it 18 wins in a row across all competitions when they take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The runaway leaders have surged 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League table during that winning streak, with 12 of their 17 victories coming in the top flight.

More history awaits them if they win again here as they go in search of a club-record-equalling 11th successive away triumph, and they will be firm favourites against an Arsenal side they have dominated in recent Premier League meetings.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Pep Guardiola could set his side up for the contest.



Possible MNC XI vs. ARS

Out: Nathan Ake (muscle)
Doubtful: Ilkay Gundogan (groin)

> Click here for Man City's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Man City's strength in depth was already frightening without the return of some world-class players for this match, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan all expected to be in contention.

De Bruyne returned off the bench after almost a month out during the midweek win over Everton, and he could go back into the starting XI for this one.

Aguero was also among the substitutes at Goodison Park, but he is less likely to start this weekend given how cautious Guardiola has been with the club-record goalscorer's fitness so far this season.

Gundogan was missing in midweek due to a groin injury, but Man City are hopeful of having him back available and, if fit, he will be one of the first names on Guardiola's team sheet.

The German midfielder is Man City's leading goalscorer in the Premier League this season following his brace last weekend, with all of his 11 goals coming in his last 12 appearances.

The returns of Gundogan and De Bruyne create an enviable headache for Guardiola, whose main problem at the moment seems to be how to fit so many in-form players into his team and keep them all happy.

Such are the options at his disposal that at least one - and possibly all three - of the scorers in midweek could be dropped for this one, with the positions of Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez among those most under threat from the returning players.

Guardiola could opt for a false nine again, with Foden or Raheem Sterling in line to carry out that role, the latter having scored four and created two more in his last five league appearances against Arsenal.

Man City even have an embarrassment of riches in defence, where John Stones and Oleksandr Zinchenko could return should Guardiola look to give Kyle Walker and Aymeric Laporte a rest.

Nathan Ake is the only player definitely ruled out of this match, but Guardiola is spoilt for choice even without his summer signing.

> Click here to see how Arsenal could line up for this contest


Video prediction

Watch the Sports Mole Football Shorts prediction for this game below:


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Ilkay Gundogan celebrates scoring for Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on February 13, 2021
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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