Arsenal’s trip to Manchester City on Wednesday has been circled for months as a potentially decisive date in the Premier League title race, but the Gunners must now wrestle back a huge swing in momentum towards the defending champions.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal travel to the Etihad Stadium five points clear at the top of the table, yet many see the title as City’s to lose as they have two games in hand and home advantage in midweek.
Arsenal – looking for the first Premier League title since 2004 – could have amassed an 11-point advantage in recent weeks to pile the pressure on Pep Guardiola’s City, who are in contention to win a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.
Instead, Arteta’s young guns have shown their inexperience in the run-in as three consecutive draws have gifted City back control of their own destiny.
The English champions have won all 11 of their games at the Etihad in 2023, scoring 43 goals in the process.
Erling Haaland is just two goals away from matching the all-time Premier League record of 34 goals in a season and 50 in all competitions in his first year in English football.
Here is all you need to know about the game.
When and where will the game take place?
The match will take place in Manchester.
Date: Wednesday, April 26
Time: 8pm local time (19:00 GMT)
Stadium: Etihad Stadium (also known as City of Manchester Stadium or Eastlands)
What’s the team news?
City have a doubt over in-form defender Nathan Ake but, after Phil Foden’s return at the weekend, they otherwise have a clean bill of health.
Arsenal’s defender William Saliba’s recent absence due to a back injury has proven to be a massive blow, with the Frenchman not expected back in time for Wednesday. Granit Xhaka is also doubtful due to illness.
Head-to-head
Arsenal have lost their last seven meetings with City in all competitions and have not won at Manchester City in the league since 2015.
Manchester City have beaten Arsenal twice this season, 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round and 3-1 in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium in February.
What have the managers said?
Guardiola: “Wednesday is a final against a team that has been the best team in England so far and is five points ahead of us. It’s a massive, important game for us. We know winning will give us a step to putting it completely in our hands.”
Arteta: “We knew we had to go to Etihad and, after that, we are going to have five very difficult games. So that game [on Wednesday] is going to be really important. Is it going to define this season? The answer is no … if we win tomorrow we have not won the league. It will shift probably the percentage, but five games in this league is very tricky still.”
Where can you watch the game?
BeIN Sports will broadcast the game on beIN Sports English and beIN Sports Premium 1. Global listings are available from livesoccertv.com.
You can also follow our live blog on match day.
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