Arsenal are undoubtedly in much better shape than when they received an ugly 5-0 thrashing at the Etihad in September, and hopefully will actually give Manchester City some form of test now the young guns are well and truly firing, but Mikel Arteta may still have received a small mercy in having to stay at home as a result of a positive Covid test. Pep Guardiola’s side look almost unstoppable and Arsenal’s much-improved defence will still be highly overmatched, with Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling (you get the idea) flexing their considerable creative prowess. An inexplicable off-day and Arsenal just might avoid a 10th straight league defeat against City. Graham Searles
Saturday 12.30pm BT Sport 1
Venue Emirates Stadium
Last season Arsenal 0 Manchester City 1
Referee Stuart Attwell
This season G10 Y32 R0 3.2 cards/game
Odds H 5-1 A 4-7 D 15-4
ARSENAL
Subs from Leno, Okonkwo, Maitland-Niles, Pépé, Tavares, Elneny, Balogun, Nketiah, Aubameyang, Marí, Lokonga, Martinelli
Doubtful None
Injured Chambers (Covid, unknown), Tomiyasu (Covid, unknown), Kolasinac (ankle, 22 Jan)
Suspended None
Discipline Y27 R1
Form LLWWWW
Leading scorer Smith Rowe 8
MANCHESTER CITY
Subs from Steffen, Carson, Palmer, Fernandinho, Jesus, Aké, Mbete, Delap, Grealish, Stones, Egan-Riley, Wilson-Ebrand, Lavia, McAtee, Gündogan, Cancelo
Doubtful Delap (match fitness), Stones, (match fitness), Cancelo (personal reasons)
Injured None
Suspended None
Discipline Y28 R1
Form WWWWWW
Leading scorers Silva, Sterling 7
