Preview: Manchester City vs Arsenal – stats, team news, line-ups

The Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for this Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League clash between last season’s top two teams, Manchester City and Arsenal, in a battle for the top spot.

Both teams are coming off goalless draws in the Champions League, with Man City held by Serie A champions Inter Milan and Arsenal relying on David Raya’s heroics to earn a point against Atalanta.

This Clash of the Titans will be the most-watched spectacle this weekend, and those looking for a more immersive experience can purchase Manchester City vs Arsenal tickets from Seatsnet.com at competitive prices.

Match preview

A little over a year ago, Rodri scored the decisive goal to break Inter’s defence and secure Man City’s long-awaited Champions League victory.

However, last week’s Champions League opener between the two teams was a far different story, with Man City unable to break through Inter’s resilient backline.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, kicking off Man City’s new European campaign in a less-than-ideal fashion.

The stalemate snapped Man City’s perfect start to the 2024/25 season, but they remain unbeaten in the Premier League.

Last weekend, Haaland led Man City to a comeback victory against Brentford, netting a brace to overturn Yoane Wissa’s early goal for the visitors.

The Norwegian striker now has an astonishing nine goals in just four matches, breaking the previous record held by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney.

Haaland’s consistency is remarkable, especially given that he turned down compassionate leave after the death of a close family friend to stay with his team.

Thanks to his efforts, Man City sit two points clear at the top of the Premier League table and have extended their winning streak to 13 matches.

If they can secure a victory in their next game against Arsenal, they’ll make English football history by becoming the first team to win their opening five matches of a season in five separate campaigns.

Twenty-four hours after Premier League champions Man City were held to a goalless draw by an Italian side donning black and blue, Arsenal experienced an eerily similar outcome.

The Gunners, like their title rivals, found themselves unable to break through against a resilient Italian defence, although once again, Mikel Arteta’s side were indebted to the heroics of their goalkeeper, Raya.

In a pulsating night at the Gewiss Stadium, the Gunners escaped with a hard-fought point, thanks in no small part to Raya’s remarkable performance between the sticks.

The Spanish goalkeeper provided the game’s pivotal moment in the second half when he saved Mateo Retegui’s penalty before scrambling to his feet to tip the Italian striker’s rebound header off the line.

His incredible double save left both Arteta and pundit Robbie Savage in awe, with the pair calling it one of the “best saves” they had ever witnessed.

Despite Raya’s heroics, Arsenal rarely looked like troubling the scoreline themselves. They struggled to create clear-cut chances in the absence of their creative heartbeat, Martin Odegaard.

Without the Norwegian pulling the strings, the Gunners lacked the fluidity and inventiveness that have defined their play this season.

Yet, securing a point away to a team that dismantled the likes of Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen in previous encounters is no small feat.

Arsenal’s inability to score against Atalanta was all the more surprising given the manner in which they found success from set pieces in their most recent Premier League outing.

Just days earlier, Arsenal edged a tight North London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thanks to another masterclass from set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

Gabriel Magalhaes was the hero, heading home from a well-worked corner routine to seal a 1-0 win over their fiercest rivals Tottenham.

The victory kept Arsenal second in the Premier League standings, level on points with Newcastle United but ahead on goal difference.

While Arsenal’s attacking efforts left much to be desired in Bergamo, their defensive resilience, especially in away games, has been nothing short of remarkable.

The Gunners have developed a knack for grinding out results on the road, and their gritty display in Italy was just another example of their newfound steel.

In fact, Arteta’s men are on the cusp of making Premier League history.

If they avoid going behind in their next away fixture, Arsenal will become the first side in the competition’s history not to trail in 12 consecutive away matches.

The streak began last season, with Arsenal showing a penchant for controlling games away from home and staying solid at the back.

Arsenal’s last trip to Man City saw them hold the reigning champions to a 0-0 draw.

That result came just a few months after Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected winner handed the Gunners a rare 1-0 victory over Man City at the Emirates, ending a long-standing hoodoo against Pep Guardiola’s side.

However, Arsenal have not tasted victory at the Etihad since January 2015, during the Arsene Wenger era, a drought that Arteta will be desperate to end when the two sides meet again later this season.

Key stats

Haaland is in blistering form for Man City, having scored eight goals in his last three Premier League games.

The Norwegian striker netted back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United, followed by a brace in Man City’s recent clash with Brentford.

Haaland’s incredible run is nearing Premier League history, with only Luis Suarez having scored multiple goals in four consecutive games, a record set in December 2013.

Man City’s current streak of 13 consecutive Premier League wins has put them on the verge of another historic achievement.

In Premier League history, only six teams have won 14 or more games in a row, and Man City, led by Pep Guardiola, account for three of those streaks, with runs of 18 in 2017, 15 in 2019, and 15 in 2021.

Meanwhile, Arsenal will look to break their poor record at the Etihad, where they are winless in their last nine Premier League visits (D2, L7).

Bukayo Saka has been crucial for the Gunners, contributing to five of Arsenal’s six goals this season (one goal, four assists).

He’s close to matching Thierry Henry’s 2004/05 feat of assisting in each of the first five matches of the season.

Team news & potential line-ups

Man City will be without Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake for the match against Arsenal, although Kevin De Bruyne could be involved despite sitting out the second half of the match against Inter.

Meanwhile, Arsenal will be without Odegaard but will welcome Declan Rice back from suspension, while Saka and Riccardo Calafiori are likely to feature after playing a part in the Champions League.

Man City potential starting line-up:

(4-2-3-1): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol; Mateo Kovacic, Rodri; Savinho, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden; Erling Braut Haaland.

Arsenal potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber; Kai Havertz, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard.