Key events
Arsenal and City met earlier today in the WSL. Another seven-goal thriller please lads!
Team news
David Raya has recovered and will be in net for Arsenal – but Ederson is unfit to Stefen Ortega starts in goal for Manchester City. Omar Marmoush is preferred to Kevin De Bruyne.
Raya’s return means Arsenal make a single change from last weekend’s win at Wolves, with the fit-again Martin Odegaard in for Ethan Nwaneri. Pep Guardiola makes three changes to the City team that beat Chelsea 3-1 eight days ago: Ortega for Ederson, John Stones for Abdukodir Khusanov and Savinho for Ilkay Gundogan.
Arsenal (possible 4-3-3) Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard.
Substitutes: Calafiori, Jorginho, Kiwior, Merino, Neto, Nwaneri, Sterling, Tierney, Zinchenko.
Manchester City (possible 4-3-3) Ortega; Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol; Foden, Kovacic, Bernardo Silva; Savinho, Haaland, Marmoush,
Substitutes: Carson, De Bruyne, Grealish, Gundogan, Khusanov, Lewis, McAtee, O’Reilly, Vitor Reis.
Referee Peter Bankes.
Preamble
When Arsenal and Manchester City slugged it out at the Etihad in September, it was clear the return fixture had the potential to be a title decider. But few of us expected a third party to be involved. Liverpool lead the Premier League by nine points with 15 games remaining and are tantalisingly close to their 20th league championship. For Arsenal, it’s simple: if they don’t win this afternoon, slim will leave town and their title hopes will be over for another year.
They may already be over, such is Liverpool’s relentless excellence. But Arsenal v City has become an event in itself. I can’t be the only person getting I’ll See You Out There’ vibes about this match. That famous game, played 20 years ago yesterday, was also between Arsenal and Manchester’s finest; it was the return fixture after a spiteful, controversial game in Manchester; and both teams had been blindsided by a rival with a new manager who were romping away with the title.
City are desperate to play in the Champions League next season and need every point they can get. But this is about more than points. Even if this was a mid-table game with nothing riding on it, they would be desperate to beat each other.
Kick off 4.30pm.
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