Table topping clash to be exciting but undecisive
The top two in the Premier League go toe-to-toe at the Emirates on Wednesday night, with visitors Manchester City currently trailing Arsenal by three points. A win for Pep Guardiola's charges would see them temporarily leapfrog the Gunners, though the hosts would still have the potentially priceless luxury of a game in hand. Read our preview here:
Partey all night
Mikel Arteta's men had an intriguing tussle with fellow London side Brentford last weekend, a game for which there were valid arguments that they could have easily won or lost it, but ended up drawing 1-1. The same XI are likely to go again against the current champions, partly because of form and partly because there's been little movement in the injury list. Thomas Partey, at the heart of the red midfield, will be absolutely crucial in both breaking up the opposition's patient build-up play through the middle and then making the most of the turnover in possession to set off the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka in wider areas. With a paucity of other fit and experienced options in the same role and position, he must stay fit if his team are to remain at the summit and more immediately repel City.
Rod squad
Much of the 'buzz' at the Etihad now has shifted to adopting a siege mentality because of the off-field headlines and potentially colossal consequences down the track for the Eastlands outfit of the charges brought against them by the Premier League themselves. In the here and now, they got the result and much of the performance required when they bested Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday, but they still looked vulnerable defensively at times. Much like Partey, Rodri's inclusion is a must in giving structure to the base of the midfield in front of the back four, but he also has the knack of occasionally scoring vital goals, just as he did last time out. Erling Haaland came off at half-time in that one, but it was most likely a precautionary measure; the leading scorer should be back leading the line.
Betting tip
Parimatch have odds of 13.00 for a 2-2 draw that will most certainly suit Arsenal more than Manchester City at this stage of the campaign.
