For Manchester City, the equation is clear – they have to defeat Arsenal or else Manchester United will be in the driving seat to qualify for the Champions League next season.
It has been a rather disappointing week for Manchester City after they lost 4-2 at Southampton, followed by a 1-0 loss against Madrid that saw them being dumped out of the Champions League in the semi final stage.
Arsenal, though, have more breathing space. Three more points mathematically assures them of a top four finish. However, they have a home game against bottom club Aston Villa (who have been relegated) in the last match of the season, and the Gunners will not be under any pressure to get the win against City.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Manager Manuel Pellegrini will not have much choice with regards to his fullbacks, as right back Pablo Zabaleta (calf) and left back Aleksandar Kolarov (knock) have both been ruled out due to injuries. Manchester City are likely to go with the combination of former Arsenal men Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy in the two fullback positions.
However, an even bigger concern for Manchester City is that captain Vincent Kompany has been ruled out with a groin injury that he suffered during the midweek Champions League semi final second leg at Madrid. This is a huge blow for City, as they often tend to look shaky in defence in the absence of Kompany.
Although the duo of Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi have played a lot of games together this season due to the absence of Kompany, they have been a bit weak defensively. It will be interesting to see how they cope with the multi dimensional attack of Arsenal.
Ivorian star Yaya Toure is expected to start in the no.10 role, but his indifferent performance against Real Madrid in the last match would not have been a reassuring sight for City. Toure looked completely disinterested in the match, failing to close down the Real Madrid players.
With a number of their top players out of form or injured, the main creative responsibility will fall on the shoulder of Belgian star Kevin De Bruyne. The 24 year old has had a brilliant debut season at the Etihad Stadium, and will definitely look to impress ahead of the much awaited arrival of Pep Guardiola.
Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Hart; Clichy, Mangala, Otamendi, Sagna; Fernandinho, Fernando; De Bruyne, Toure, Navas; Aguero.
Arsenal FC
The big absentee (literally) for Arsenal in this match is that of centre-back Per Mertesacker, who is suffering from a hamstring injury. The German international has been a rock at the heart of the Arsenal defence, forming a good partnership with Laurent Koscielny. .
However, the 31 year old’s absence could also turn out to be a huge boon for Arsenal. Mertesacker will be replaced by Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Paulista. This is a game where Arsenal have to deal with the constant threat of the likes of De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, and Navas — all of whom are very fast. Mertesacker, however, does not possess such pace, and could be left exposed against such an attack. Gabriel, on the other hand, is a fast centre-back, and will be difficult to beat with pace.
As Arsenal do not really have to win this game, they are likely to go with a slightly more defensive setup, with the likes of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny manning the defensive midfield positions. The duo will be looking to sit deep and absorb the pressure applied by the Manchester City front four.
Manager Arsene Wenger is likely to go with former Manchester United player Danny Welbeck up front, as he gives more than one dimension to the Gunners’s attacks. Not only does he trouble the defence with his pacey runs, but he is also an aerial threat. The likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, and Alex Iwobi will be trying to feed Welbeck with through balls and crosses. To add to that, Welbeck can tirelessly close down the centre-backs, who already look quite shaky.
Possible Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Cech; Monreal, Koscielny, Gabriel, Bellerin; Elneny, Coquelin; Iwobi, Ozil, Sanchez; Welbeck.
Key Stats
- Arsenal have not conceded a goal in five of their last seven Premier League matches.
- The Gunners are currently on an eight match unbeaten streak.
- Arsenal have scored two or more goals in six of their last seven matches against Manchester City in all competitions.
- Manchester City have scored two or more goals in five of their last six Premier League matches.
- The Sky Blues have been unable to defeat Arsenal in the last five matches between the two sides in all competitions.
Players to watch out for
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
De Bruyne can barely do anything wrong at the moment, and will be crucial to Manchester City’s chances of retaining their top four status in the Premier League. With Yaya Toure out of form, De Bruyne will play will have to shoulder most of City’s playmaking responsibilities. If the Belgian can churn out a decent performance, striker Sergio Aguero might just be able to latch on to a few of the chances and score the goals for Manchester City.
Mesut Ozil (Arsenal FC)
The German playmaker has had a phenomenal season, and will surely like to ensure Champions League qualification for his side as soon as possible. With Arsenal needing just three more points, Ozil could play a huge role in breaking down a shaky Manchester City defence with his intricate passing. His linkup play with Sanchez and Welbeck will be key to Arsenal’s chances on Sunday.
Prediction
Manchester City 0-1 Arsenal FC
Manchester City have struggled in the past against Arsenal, and it looks unlikely that they will be able to get a win out of the Sunday evening encounter. In fact, they looked so out of sorts against Real Madrid that it would be no surprise if they succumb to a loss against the Gunners on their own home ground, effectively giving Manchester United a great chance to move into the top four spots in the Premier League.
Blast from the past
