Manchester City vs Arsenal live: Latest score as Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus stretch lead
Follow the latest from the Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Premier League leaders Manchester City take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium looking to stretch their unbeaten league run this season to 11 matches and dent the Gunners’ hopes of turning their top four challenge into a title tilt. Follow the live action below.
- Manchester City vs Arsenal kicks off at 14:15
- Pep Guardiola names Sergio Aguero in attack with Gabriel Jesus on the bench
- Both Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane start
- Arsenal leave Alexandre Laazette out of starting line-up
- Arsene Wenger names 4-3-2-1 formation with Alexis Sanchez in attack
Follow the live action below...
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Preview...
Manchester City host Arsenal on Sunday hoping to extend their record-breaking unbeaten run at the pinnacle of the Premier League table.
Following their victory away at Napoli on Wednesday night, City are now unbeaten in 22 games in all competitions – a record that stretches back into last season – and will welcome the Gunners more than confident they can overcome any challenge that might be thrown at them.
Although Pep Guardiola and his side have been careful to play down hyperbole already suggesting that City will be runaway winners of the league this term, it is hard to examine the evidence of their recent form and come to any other conclusion.
In addition to blowing away any domestic competition with blistering attacking football – in their ten games so far, they have won nine and drawn one, scoring 35 goals in the process – City have also demonstrated impressive resilience in European competition, their 4-2 comeback victory in Naples in midweek being the latest example.
Guardiola will realise, however, that this weekend could prove crucial to the fate of his team’s season. With closest title challengers Manchester United away at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, three points here could open up an eight point gap at the top, though anything less than that may also see their local rivals draw nearer.
The Spaniard will also not be underestimating his visitors. Although a shaky start to the campaign has left the Gunners in fifth place, they have demonstrated some impressive grit in securing five wins in three different competitions in recent weeks. If his team could come away from the Etihad with at least a draw, and fourth-placed Chelsea drop points against United, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will know they could climb into the top four for the first time this term.
The north Londoners will also be boosted by the return of some fresh first-teamers after Thursday night’s triumph against Red Star Belgrade, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez both set to start. City, too, will likely field a strong side, although defenders Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy remain long-term absentees.
What time does it start?
Manchester City vs Arsenal kicks off at 14:15
Where can I watch it?
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event from 13:00. Highlights will be shown on BBC One at 22:30.
It’s a big game for…
Kyle Walker. Although Sergio Aguero deserves an honourable mention – it will be the first game he starts as City’s leading goalscorer, after surpassing Eric Brook’s previous 177 tally against Napoli – it will be interesting to see how the ex-Spurs defender gets on against old derby rivals Arsenal.
The wing-back has impressed so far this term, with four assists coming from nine starts in the league, though if Arsenal’s stars arrive in Manchester in the mood, he will have to be at his best.
Best stat…
6 points. The record lead of a first-placed team, at this stage of the Premier League season (11th game-week), that was eventually conceded by the end of the season. In other words, if City can stretch their lead to over 6 points this weekend, they will make history if they then go on not to win the title.
Remember when…
The inimitable Emmanuel Adebayor celebrated his fourth goal for Manchester City, against former club Arsenal, by running the length of the field to celebrate in front of the, slightly disgruntled, Gunners support.
Player(s) to watch…
Kevin De Bruyne vs Mesut Ozil. It will be an interesting matchup between arguably the Premier League’s best No.10s.
Although De Bruyne’s assisting heroics are almost as well-documented as Ozil’s struggles to win over the faith of the Arsenal faithful, both players have been at their creative best this term, creating 30 chances apiece in the league. It might be a case of which team can best convert these chances, when they come, that will decide Sunday’s contest.
Previous three meetings…
Arsenal 2 (Monreal, Sanchez) Manchester City 1 (Aguero), FA Cup, April 2017
Arsenal 2 (Walcott, Mustafi) Manchester City 2 (Sane, Aguero), Premier League, April 2017
Manchester City 2 (Sane, Sterling) Arsenal 1 (Walcott), Premier League, December 2017
Form guide…
Manchester City: WWWWWW
Arsenal: LWWWWW
Odds…
Manchester City: 2/7
Arsenal: 6
Draw: 39/10
10' - Arsenal really are pressing City high up the pitch - and it pays dividends on this occasion as Alexis Sanchez wins the ball back in a dangerous position. He slides the ball to Mesut Ozil but the German's shot is off target.
11' - How has that not gone in?! Sergio Aguero's through pass somehow squirms through Laurent Koscielny's legs and into the path of Leroy Sane, who only has Petr Cech to beat. Instead of shooting the German opts to slide the ball across to Raheem Sterling for a tap-in but the pass has a little too much on it and the England winger can't get a foot on the ball.
What a superb start to the match this has been.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal (De Bruyne)
18' - City take the lead and it's Kevin De Bruyne with the goal! The Belgian plays a one-two with Fernandinho on the edge of the box before slapping a left-footed shot across Petr Cech and into the far corner.
City have been turning the screw over the last five minutes or so after a quick start to the match by Arsenal - can the Gunners get back into this one or will Guardiola's men run away with the victory now that they've broken the deadlock?
25' - Arsenal have a decent opportunity to hit back but Alexis Sanchez over-hits his through ball to Mesut Ozil after a good run by the German. Ozil would've had a one-on-one with Ederson had that pass been measured correctly.
Kevin De Bruyne celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the game
29' - Arsenal have had a few openings in the first half-hour of the match but they're just not retaining possession well enough. That's in stark contrast to City, who look so comfortable whenever they have the ball.
33' - Kevin De Bruyne finds David Silva on the overlap in the Arsenal penalty area and the Spaniard drives a wonderful, low ball across the face of the six-yard box. However, there's nobody in a City shirt to turn the ball home.
35' - Kevin De Bruyne carves through the Arsenal defence with a well-measured through ball that sets Raheem Sterling free in acres of space inside the visitors' half. Sterling has Leroy Sane in support but the England winger misses the mark with a routine square ball that would've given Sane an easy finish. A real lack of composure there.
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