- Arsenal told to pay £40m to sign Leicester star Maddison
- Arsenal open talks to sign Man City star Joao Cancelo
- Arsenal learn price tag of midfield target Gabri Veiga
- Arsenal ready to accelerate efforts to sign Rice this summer
- Arsenal lead race to sign Turkish starlet Arda Guler
- Arsenal closing in on a deal to sign Moises Caicedo
- Arsenal contemplating summer swoop for Romeo Lavia
- Arsenal keeping tabs on Leeds star Wilfried Gnonto
- Arsenal target Caicedo likely to leave Brighton this summer
- Arsenal ready to rival Barcelona to sign Joao Cancelo
Confirmed line-ups: Man City vs Arsenal – Holding & Xhaka start for Gunners
Arsenal can make a huge statement in the title race and put destiny back in their hands with a win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium tonight.
We’ve been dealt a huge blow ahead of the game after Mikel Arteta confirmed that William Saliba is still out with a niggling back injury. He’s still not resumed full training amid fears he may not play again this season.
In Saliba’s absence, Rob Holding keeps his place alongside Gabriel in the heart of Arsenal’s back four. I must admit I fear for Holding up against Erling Haaland tonight. Let’s hope he proves me wrong!
Oleksandr Zinchenko faces-off against his old team as he continues at left-back while Ben White starts once again on the right side of defence with Takehiro Tomiyasu out for the rest of the campaign with a knee injury.
Thomas Partey hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks so let’s hope he returns to form this evening as he starts in the holding role for Arsenal. Martin Odegaard captains the side and we’ll need him at his imperious best if we’re to get a positive result.
Granit Xhaka missed the draw with Southampton due to illness but he returns tonight. Fabio Vieira drops to the subs bench.
This is a huge game for Arsenal’s young guns on the wings so let’s pray Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli can cause City all sorts of problems. Gabriel Jesus leads the line up front and he should have a point to prove against his old team.
These are the teams for the game:
Arsenal
Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Holding, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
Subs: Turner, Tierney, Kiwior, Jorginho, Smith Rowe, Vieira, Trossard, Nelson, Nketiah.
Man City
Ederson, Walker, Dias, Akanji, Stones, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, Grealish, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Laporte, Alvarez, Gomez, Mahrez, Foden, Palmer, Lewis