The Gunners boss is set to face the press ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium
Mikel Arteta is set to face the press ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners go into the game in fine form having won their last eight consecutive league games. This leaves them ahead in this season’s thrilling three-way title race on goal difference.
Still though, Sunday’s trip to City promises to be their toughest test of the season so far. In 5 games at the Etihad Arteta has lost by an aggregate score of 14-1.
The matter could be made even more tricky if Arsenal are without key players like Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhaes who are all injury doubts.
Arsenal will at least be able to welcome back key players like Gabriel Jesus, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu to the starting line up potentially. Having a strong bench could be crucial in this top of the table clash.
You can hear every word Arteta has to say on all that and much more with football.london‘s chief Arsenal correspondent Kaya Kaynak in our live blog below.
Kaya Kaynak
I think he has received a lot of love. You just have to see what his teammates and everyone close to him in football says. I think people have respected. Hopefully he can represent his country in the best way possible one day. That’s up to him.
Kaya Kaynak
Yeah there is a chance. They haven’t trained. Tomorrow we have another session, but there is a chance they can be available.
Kaya Kaynak
With the international break now over, Arsenal’s attention turns to their top of the table clash with Manchester City. The Gunners players will report back from their respective nations on Thursday before training begins for Sunday’s showdown with Pep Guardiola’s men.
Arsenal’s recent record at the Etihad Stadium is appalling. The Gunners have managed just one point there in the league since 2015 and have lost the four games they have played away to City under Mikel Arteta by an aggregate score of 14-1.
Having put together a superb run of form in 2024, however, Arsenal will be quietly confident that they can secure a result that will be pivotal to their chances of winning this season’s Premier League. Their chances of doing so could depend heavily on the fitness of several key players.
Read the latest here.
Kaya Kaynak
Games don’t come much bigger than Sunday’s clash between Arsenal and Manchester City. Win, and the Gunners can open up a four point gap over Pep Guardiola’s side with just nine games remaining. Lose, and Mikel Arteta’s men slip from leading the way in the Premier League title race to third place.
With so much at stake, Arteta will understandably want as strong a squad available to him as possible. Unfortunately though, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel are both injury doubts after withdrawing from their respective international squads over the most recent break.
There is hope that the pair could all be involved at the Etihad Stadium, though. When it comes to Gabriel Martinelli, however, the picture is far less clear.
The Brazilian has been absent since sustaining a foot injury against Sheffield United. Rumours had suggested that he could be out for the season as a result, but football.london understands that’s not the case.
He’s already made a miraculous recovery from injury to have a massive effect in a match against City this season once, and there’s a hope he could do the same again. Still, though, Arteta will be preparing contingency plans. Here football.london takes a look at who could fill in for Martinelli if he is unavailable.
Read who they are here.
Kaya Kaynak
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City will be without John Stones and Kyle Walker for Sunday’s clash.
Read exactly what he had to say here.
Kaya Kaynak
Hello and welcome to football.london‘s coverage of Mikel Arteta’s press conference ahead of Arsenal vs Manchester City
