ARSENAL midfielder Granit Xhaka has been labelled a huge doubt for the crunch title clash against Manchester City.
Xhaka, 29, missed the Southampton thriller through illness and Mikel Arteta has admitted that he will be assessed ahead of the match.
Meanwhile, the Gunners will face fierce competition from fellow European giants for Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze signature.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are believed to be among the sides who are interested in the 23-year-old, who has just over a year to run on his contract.
Elsewhere, the Gunners are reportedly set to revive interest in Wolves star Pedro Neto after failing with a £50million move for the winger last summer.
MAN CITY VS ARSENAL – BETTING TIPS AND BEST ODDS
Stay up to date with all the latest news from the Emirates Stadium
- Gary Stonehouse
Morning, Arsenal fans
The Gunners travel to title rivals Man City tonight hoping to wrestle back control of the title race.
Mikel Arteta's men currently sit five points clear of the reigning champions, although City possess two games in hand.
Ahead of the match, Gunners fans think that they have found a secret omen.
Michael Oliver has been appointed as referee for the match.
The 38-year-old has officiated Arsenal four times this season… with Mikel Arteta’s side winning every time.
In his pre-match presser, Arteta revealed how he thinks his team have to play to get a result.
He said: "We have to focus a lot on ourselves.
“But we still need to understand what they can do. We have to be prepared for those changes, which is a lot because of what they can do in the beginning, they can do that in 20 minutes, at half-time, and in the last 20 minutes.
“You have to be really prepared for that.
“But this cannot absorb your energy to be constantly adapting to what they do and we have to focus on our strengths in how we can cause them problems.”
- Etienne Fermie
Man City vs Arsenal
It's the biggest game of the season, and here is how the two teams stack up.
- Etienne Fermie
Mertesacker on Mikel Arteta
Per Mertesacker has revealed that when Mikel Arteta left Arsenal in 2016 he wrote a note telling the club to hire him.
The message was sent to Gunner's chief executive at the time Ivan Gazidis and urged him to find a spot for Mertesacker in the club.
The German told the Evening Standard: “When [Arteta] left us, he left Ivan Gazidis a note saying: ‘You can’t lose this guy’,
“[It was] in terms of: you are losing me now, you are asking me too late. Because he had promised to go to City.
“He told Ivan: ‘You can’t lose this guy. Just put him somewhere’. That was kind of the start, and we kept tabs.
“And then between him and Unai [Emery], that was the situation.
“I put a good word in for him, without knowing how good he was as a coach. I knew how good he was as a human being and how much I trusted him.
“He called me when he didn’t get the job to say: ‘Thank you, I know you put my name forward’. A year and a half after when he then came, and Edu came, it felt like the right time.
“From there it has been a feeling of trust, that we both do the best for the club and it is pretty much aligned.”
- Etienne Fermie
Man City vs Arsenal team news
William Saliba is set to miss the clash for Arsenal as he continues to recover from a back injury – and could even be out for the rest of the season.
Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are long-term absentees but Granit Xhaka should be back in contention to face City after missing the Southampton draw with illness.
City will be without Nathan Ake, who is out with a hamstring injury.
De Bruyne, Ederson, Ruben Dias, Rodri and John Stones all sat out of the Wembley win and should come back in.
- Etienne Fermie
Gunners in secret City omen
Arsenal fans are dreaming of the Premier League title after spotting an omen in their favour ahead of tomorrow's clash with Manchester City.
The Gunners go into the match leading their title rivals by five points, but with City possessing two games in hand.
Anything other than an Arsenal win at the Etihad will see Pep Guardiola's reigning champions remain favourites to win the title yet again.
But Gooners online reckon they've spotted something that may give them an edge.
Michael Oliver has been appointed as referee for the match.
The 38-year-old has officiated Arsenal four times this season… with Mikel Arteta's side winning every time.
- Etienne Fermie
Arteta on Gunners game plan
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken of how his side must address tomorrow's crunch title clash with Man City.
He said: "We have to focus a lot on ourselves.
"But we still need to understand what they can do. We have to be prepared for those changes, which is a lot because of what they can do in the beginning, they can do that in 20 minutes, at half-time, and in the last 20 minutes.
"You have to be really prepared for that.
"But this cannot absorb your energy to be constantly adapting to what they do and we have to focus on our strengths in how we can cause them problems.”
Credit: Reuters - Etienne Fermie
Arteta on Man City threat
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken to the press ahead of his side's huge match at Manchester City tomorrow night.
The Spaniard said: "Obviously, we have worked on their threat as well as we have worked on their weaknesses and we know where they are.
"The issue with City is that they start with the goalkeeper – they are a threat when the ball is with him. You have to control every single player.
"But we just focus on ourselves: we know what they want to do, what they’re going to try to do and they can do various things.
"They can play with a box inside, they can play with a diamond, they can build the game with three, they can be asymmetric on one side, they can pull one out on the right and play a diamond, they can put [Kyle] Walker higher."
Arteta then went on to add: "They can do so many things that you have to be able to adapt to, so you have to focus on certain principles to try and play the game how you want.”
- Etienne Fermie
Supercomputer predicts title race
Three draws in three games means Arsenal's trip to Manchester City is a do or die encounter.
A supercomputer has calculated both teams' chances of winning the title based on the three possible results from Wednesday's crunch clash.
Arsenal fans are already well aware of it, but a loss would effectively put an end to their title charge.
Defeat at the Etihad would leave the Gunners with a lowly nine per cent chance of winning the Premier League, according to Opta.
Even a point at the Etihad makes City strong favourites for the trophy.
If the game does end all square, Pep Guardiola's side will have a 72 per cent chance of lifting the title.
But a win for the Gunners would put them in the driving seat to win the Prem for the first time since the 2004 Invincibles.
However, Opta have given Arsenal just a 15 per cent chance of taking all three points back to North London.
- Etienne Fermie
Gunners in Wolves ace chase
Arsenal are reportedly set to revive their interest in Wolves star Pedro Neto to boost their Champions League campaign.
That’s after failing with a £50million move for the winger last summer.
Mikel Arteta was keen on landing Neto before the start of the season as competition for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Neto established himself as one of the Premier League’s brightest young wingers before suffering several serious injuries.
And Football Transfers claims he is back on Arteta’s shopping list after returning to action last month.
- Etienne Fermie
Arsenal face Chukwueze competition
The Gunners are reportedly among five clubs chasing Villarreal star Samuel Chukwueze.
Liverpool and Real Madrid are believed to be among the sides who are interested in the Nigerian, who has just over a year to run on his contract.
Chukwueze has enjoyed a brilliant season for the Yellow Submarine, notching 13 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
The 22-year-old winger was the star man when Villarreal beat Real Madrid earlier this month in a game that was overshadowed by Federico Valverde's spat with Alex Baena.
Chukwueze scored twice at the Bernabeu to underline his potential.
Defensa Central report Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid are all keen to swoop for the star.
But other Premier League clubs including Everton, West Ham and Aston Villa are also believed to be in the hunt.
- Alex Smith
Arteta has Haaland plan
Mikel Arteta believes he has the "best recipe" to stop Erling Haaland when Arsenal visit the Etihad.
Haaland has scored 32 Premier League goals this season but Arteta has a plan to stop him that relies on a key tactic.
When asked how Arsenal would stop Haaland from scoring, Arteta added: "Preventing the source is the best recipe.
"We are working on their threats and their weaknesses. We know what they are. With City it starts with the goalkeeper. Just focus on us.
"We know what they can do. They can do so many things that you have to be adaptable.
"You can't compare him [Haaland] to anything else. He is able to do that because the set-up is suited to him and he has good players around him.
"With him they have the capacity to play in a different way.
"You can't give anything away. Big teams will punish you if you give things away and we have done that before."
- Alex Smith
Supercomputer predicts…
Arsenal fans have been left reeling after a supercomputer predicted their Premier League crunch match against Manchester City.
Opta's system has suggested that Pep Guardiola's side have a 62.6 per cent chance of winning the clash.
While Mikel Arteta's title chasers have only been given a 15.1 per cent chance of claiming the vital three points.
But the supercomputer has estimated that if Man City win the tie, than their chances of retaining the Premier League title will be significantly boosted.
The Citizens will see their chances of lifting the trophy at the end of the season increase to 91 per cent.
If Arsenal win though, it is still suggesting that the race will be a tight one, with them only having a 51 per cent chance of going on to win the league.
- Alex Smith
Tale of the Tape
Man City welcome Arsenal to the Etihad on Wednesday for a mouth-watering title clash.
Just five points separate the two sides and City have two games in hand over their rivals.
That means Mikel Arteta's side must win to keep things in their hands, though their recent record against the champions is abysmal.
City have won the last 11 Premier League clashes between the pair and have not lost to the Gunners at home since January 2015.
Arsenal have won just one of the last 15 meetings – a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win in 2020.
Here is how these two heavyweights compare.
- Alex Smith
Guardiola's thoughts
Pep Guardiola has spoken to the media ahead of his Man City side facing Arsenal tomorrow.
He said: "Of course, they have it in their hands too, because if they win it depends on them. The destiny will be in their hands.
"But if we win, definitely the destiny will be in our hands. Then we still have seven games left.
“It’s really good to be here. After the first round of the Premier League, [with what] Arsenal have done, it’s difficult to think we are here in that moment.
“So it’s a really, really important game because we can get points and our biggest opponent this season cannot.”
- Alex Smith
Arteta: Title won't be decided tomorrow
Mikel Arteta believes that the title race will not be decided tomorrow in the crunch clash between Arsenal and Man City.
Arteta said: "The biggest game is the next one, and the biggest game of my career was the game we played against Southampton because if we had won that game, we would have been in a much better position.
“Then it will be City and then it will be Wolves, the last one. Is it the biggest one? Yeah. So that it going to change every single week."
On if it's winner takes it all at the Etihad, he replied: "No, I don’t think so. If we win tomorrow night we haven’t won the league, for sure."
- Alex Smith
Ex-City boys experience key
Mikel Arteta has said that the experience that Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus have from winning trophies at Man City will be vital to whether Arsenal can hold their nerve.
The boss said: "For sure. I think experience is key when you’ve been in those moments, to handle those moments and to understand the importance of certain things when you are competing in a football match.
“The capacity to transmit as those two players have done for the rest of the team – a lot of things that are very, very important. Some of the rest of them are young but they’ve played a lot of games already.”
- Alex Smith
Arteta maintains belief
Asked if Arsenal still have what it takes to win the league after recent setbacks, Mikel Arteta said: "One hundred per cent.
"But we knew from the beginning that City was the team to beat, probably with Liverpool, because of what those teams have done in the last six or seven years, they’ve fully deserved that credit and to be at the top.
“We were the ones that wanted to be closing that gap as much as we possibly could, and we are toe-to-toe with them. We knew we had to go to the Etihad, we know that after that they are going to have another five very difficult games.
“That game is going to be really important – if it’s going to define the season, the answer is no.”
- Alex Smith
Xhaka could miss City clash
Arsenal could be without Granit Xhaka for tomorrow's huge clash.
Mikel Arteta admitted: "Granit has been out.
"Hopefully, he will be able to train today but he’s still a doubt.”
- Alex Smith
Saliba out of Man City clash
Mikel Arteta has confirmed that William Saliba is not expected to play against Man City tomorrow.
He said: "There’s not been a real improvement, unfortunately for him. So, we are still waiting.
"We are still hopeful but obviously, it’s another week that has gone by and he hasn’t been able to train with the team.
“We are preparing for this game without him and the next game, obviously, it’ll probably come too soon as well. We have to go week by week for the moment."
- Alex Smith
Double Act
Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are the first team-mates aged 21 or under to hit over 20 goal involvements in one season since Wayne Rooney and Cristaino Ronaldo managed it for Man Utd.
Saka has scored 13 times and got 11 assists in the Prem this season.
Meanwhile, Martinelli has netted 15 and contributed with five assists.
- Alex Smith
Underrated hero?
Micah Richards believes that Gabriel Martinelli is not talked about enough and he has the speed to hurt Man City on the break in tomorrow's title-decider.
The former right-back said: "His pace is frightening. Everyone has talked about Saka and Odegaard, and the two defenders, Gabriel, Saliba, and Ramsdale.
"But not that many people talk about Martinelli. In transition, he is frightening."
- Alex Smith
14-year wait
Arsenal are hoping to end a 14-year wait and win the FA Youth Cup.
The team the last time they made the showpiece featured the likes of Jack Wilshere, Luke Ayling, Francis Coquelin, Henri Lansbury and Jay Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
As for the Hammers they have not won the cup since the star studded team of 1999 that featured Micheal Carrick and Joe Cole.
- Alex Smith
Youth Cup Final
Arsenal meet West Ham in the FA Youth Cup final this evening.
The match kicks-off at 7pm at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's Under-18s are managed by Jack Wilshere with prodigies like Myles Lewis-Skelley and Ethan Nwaneri set to play.
However, West Ham have their own talents that the Gunners must keep an eye on after they won the league and sit a huge 16 points clear at the top.
Divin Mubama could be the star for the Hammers. The striker has netted a Conference League goal for the first-team this season.
- Kiro Evans
Will He Stay?
Crystal Palace have offered Wilfried Zaha a lucrative new contract amid interest from Arsenal, according to reports.
Zaha's £130,000 a week five-year deal expires this summer.
He is wanted by several high-profile clubs across Europe and Palace have rejected offers for him in the past, with Arsenal previously making a move in the summer of 2019.
Now the Eagles have made one more bid to keep Zaha by offering him £200,000 a week, according to The Guardian.
That would make him by far Palace's highest-paid player in their history, and tie him down for four more years.
- Kiro Evans
Net Gain
Arsenal are reportedly set to revive their interest in Wolves star Pedro Neto to boost their Champions League campaign.
That’s after failing with a £50million move for the winger last summer.
Mikel Arteta was keen on landing Neto before the start of the season as competition for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Neto established himself as one of the Premier League’s brightest young wingers before suffering several serious injuries.
And Football Transfers claims he is back on Arteta’s shopping list after returning to action last month.
Source: Read Full Article
