With the biggest match of the season coming up between Arsenal and Manchester City, get the latest team news, relive what happened between the two sides last season, and find out the key facts.
Pep Guardiola has revealed John Stones will not feature against Arsenal on Sunday.
Stones is yet to play in a Premier League game this season, though was on the bench against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
However, any hopes he could perhaps start at the Emirates were dashed when the boss said: “No. He’s not ready to play. Maybe for the national team, but not us.”
However, though he is still some way off a return, there was encouraging news about Kevin De Bruyne who has been absent since our opening game of the season.
The Belgian was initially ruled out for up to five months following hamstring surgery, but Guardiola is hopeful he could be ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation.
“Kevin comes in at different times, either before training or for his treatment,” he said.
“After training he sees physios, and so on.
“Of course I see him every day and he’s getting better, and his mood is good. Hopefully (he will be back) sooner than expected.”
The City boss also admits he hasn’t solved the puzzle of replacing Rodrigo against Arsenal.
The Spaniard will serve the last of his three-match domestic ban having missed the defeats against Newcastle and Wolves.
Kalvin Phillips and Mateo Kovacic both played in Rodrigo’s highly specialised position and Pep says he is yet to decide what will happen on Sunday.
“We will see – we start to talk today with my staff,” he said.
“This afternoon I will analyse and prepare for the game tomorrow.
“(Rodrigo is) maybe the best or in the top two or three best holding midfielders in the world.
“Like I said, he’s not here and we’ll have to find a solution with our players and how we want to play.
“Imagine what they can do…. at the moment, in my mind, the player is out, and I don’t’ think about it.
“I’m thinking of the solution we have.
“Rodrigo is on holiday now and after the international break, he will be back ready for Brighton.”
Mikel Arteta held his pre-Manchester City press conference at London Colney on Friday afternoon.
He was asked about the latest team news, coming up against Pep Guardiola and much more.
Here is everything he had to say on the following subjects..:
on Bukayo Saka’s fitness and if he’s in contention to play:
Well, he is in contention, we’ll see how he progresses from here to Sunday. Obviously he had to leave the pitch [against RC Lens], that’s never good news, but let’s see how he recovers.
on what Saka’s injury was:
I leave that for the doctors!
on Thomas Partey’s fitness:
Well, he’s ahead of schedule that’s for sure. We wanted to have him in the squad if we needed to, the way the game panned out we had other necessities and we didn’t use him. He will be in the squad tomorrow.
on making our best unbeaten start for 16 years:
Well, consistency, that’s for sure. That’s what we are looking for in this league, you have to be at your best every single match, we have managed to win a lot of games, something that we have been better at is when you cannot win, don’t lose it, except for midweek in the Champions League, and that’s what it requires, every three days you have to be at your best.
on how David Raya has settled in:
Very good. Around the players, with his teammates, around the club, he knows London really well, he knows the way we play and he’s used to that and he knows the league, so he’s done exceptionally well.
on if we can take anything from the Community Shield win into Sunday’s game:
Well, that was an important one for us. To win a title against Man City is always something you have to value, the way we did it as well and it gives us confidence and belief that we can beat them.
on the differences between the sides since then:
Well, that was a while ago obviously. It was after pre-season, we had some players available, some players not available, we are much more into the season, so I think it will be a different game.
on Wolves’ victory over Man City and what it means:
Any team in the Premier League has the tools and the quality to beat you and I think all the managers are aware of that, for sure.
on our record against City in the league and what we need to change:
We aren’t looking back for sure because there were different players participating in those games, but we know one thing for certain, that we’re going to have to be at our best. We have to be at our best in every department for 100 minutes. Then we have a chance.
on if this is a season-defining game for us:
No it would be a big boost obviously energy and confidence-wise but apart from that and the points, nothing else.
on Ben White’s development at the club:
I’m really happy with Ben. I think he’s been a very consistent player for us. I think he’s been always developing for us. I think he’s developed in a great way both as a centre-back and especially as a full-back because there were some question marks there as well. I think he’s got the character of a proper fighter and a character that we need in the squad, especially at this level, and I’m really happy for that.
