Preview: Liverpool welcome Manchester City in high-stakes clash
Goals, goals and some more goals are a guarantee when Manchester City travel to Anfield in the English Premier League!
Manager Pep Guardiola has appealed for more time, but should his Manchester City side fail to beat Arsenal on Sunday, the magnifying glass will be back on the Catalan tactician. Such are the demands for a side that Manchester City have spent hundreds of millions and have finally landed their dream manager.
Arsenal may have spent far less in comparison, but the Gunners faithful demand a win as they know their chances of a title tilt will look distant should they fail to pick up three points at the Etihad.
City have the edge at home, but Arsenal relish the underdog tag, which makes this battle for third place even more intriguing.
Manchester City
A shock loss at Leicester on the weekend was a rude reminder for Guardiola that nothing can be taken for granted in the English Premier League.
City responded well with a comfortable win over Watford, but of course Arsenal aren’t a team to be underestimated.
Sergio Aguero’s absence due to a horror tackle on David Luiz continues to hamper City, who might start young Kelechi Iheanacho up front. The City academy graduate has impressed whenever given the chance but one feels Guardiola doesn't trust him 100 per cent just yet.
City’s strength is in their midfield, housing the superlative talents of Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva to name a few.
Their weak link is their defence or rather their goalkeeper, Claudio Bravo, a keeper who is extremely susceptible on set-pieces.
Apart from Aguero, midfielder Fernandinho is the key name on the suspension list while Ilkay Gundogan is a major doubt after suffering a knee injury in the win over Watford. Captain Vincent Kompany is the sole long-term absentee.
Arsenal
The Gunners were doing well in recent weeks, but came undone against an unpredictable Everton side in midweek, going down 2-1 at Goodison Park to leave their title aspirations in tatters.
Yes, it is just December but the margins are fine and any slip could prove fatal in the long run.
A point Arsene Wenger must enforce if his side are to get anything out of this game.
So far playing without a recognised striker for the most part of the season, the Gunners have been scoring goals quite frequently, thanks in large part to the superb duo of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Akin to their opponents, their defence has been leaky at times and has to shape up if they are to nick a win against a side that aren't goal-shy.
Arsenal’s injury list is quite painful to look at, with big names Shkodran Mustafi, Per Mertesacker, Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck expected to be out of action for a while.
Aaron Ramsey is in contention to return from a hamstring complaint and may make the bench.
Super Stat: Goals are a virtual guarantee in this fixture, with the last 0-0 draw coming way back in the 1928-29 season!
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