Arsenal host Manchester City in a blockbuster Premier League clash this weekend as last season’s top two look to keep pace with league leaders Liverpool.
Victory at Wolves on Saturday kept the Gunners to within six points of Arne Slot’s side who still have a game in hand on their nearest rivals.
After their wretched run to end 2024, City have now won four of their last five in the league to haul themselves back into fourth. Is their title bid back on? Stranger things have happened…
Both sides are in Champions League action before meeting in the capital on Sunday with their assignments very different. Arsenal are away to Girona with automatic qualification for the knockout stages effectively secured. City meanwhile must beat Club Brugge to avoid being eliminated.
Mikel Arteta was able to welcome back Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino to training on Tuesday after the pair missed the win at Molineux.
Odegaard did not make the trip after being struck down by illness while Merino picked up a small knock ahead of the weekend. Both trained alongside their teammates ahead of the trip to Spain.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was the recipient of a controversial red card against Wolves on Saturday and was initially expected to miss out on Sunday’s clash as part of his three-match suspension.
However, Arsenal have successfully appealed the red card, meaning Lewis-Skelly is now available for selection at the weekend.
William Saliba meanwhile completed the full 90 minutes against Wolves after missing the previous two games with a knock.
Elsewhere, Ben White is closing in on a return but has not resumed first-team training yet. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain sidelined.
With a place in the knockout stages of Europe all but secured, Arteta may be tempted to rest players midweek with the visit of City in mind. That won’t be the case for Pep Guardiola who still have plenty of work to do at home midweek.
Looking ahead to the trip to Arsenal, the City boss revealed Oscar Bobb is close to making his return after a lengthy layoff.
Jeremy Doku looks set to miss the clash at the Emirates however having missed his side’s last two games. Ruben Dias is also sidelined having limped off in the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain with City yet to disclose a timeline for his return.
Nathen Ake, limited to just seven league starts this season, is also absent but John Stones is available once again after his recent injuries.
Abdukodir Khusanov endured a baptism of fire against Chelsea on Saturday but Omar Marmoush made a strong case for keeping his place in the side with a promising debit against the Blues.
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard
Ederson, Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Silva, Kovacic, de Bruyne, Foden, Haaland, Marmoush
Arsenal vs Man City kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday 2 February.
Live coverage is available on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event with a live stream available on the Sky Go app and NOW TV.
You can also follow all the action on Metro’s LIVE matchday blog.
MORE: Rio Ferdinand questions why Arsenal spent £42m on star who ‘doesn’t even start’
MORE: Arsenal receive major Sverre Nypan transfer decision update
MORE: William Saliba names the Arsenal teammate who is ‘like a brother’ to him
