Arsenal's clash with Manchester City next Wednesday appears to have all the makings of a potential Premier League classic for years to come. The match is set to pit the prospective champions against those that have been there and done it so many times before them.
Similar can be said of the management of the two sides, with the serial title winner Pep Guardiola facing off with his one time second-in-command Mikel Arteta. The Gunners currently lead their rivals by five points with a game in hand, though any slip up could see that advantage turned on its head.
That was almost the case over the previous weekend as the north London outfit lost to Everton, but were handed a favour from near neighbours Tottenham as they beat City. "No, I don’t think so, we’ve played a lot of games this season like that already," Arteta responded when asked if his players struggled with the pressure of their situation.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta holds key advantage over Pep Guardiola as Arsenal lead Man City in title race
The Spaniard will be hopeful they can rise to the occasion when they face their title rivals, with a clash against Brentford coming up just before that. With some focus on the big fixture, one key decision has already been made beforehand that may change how it pans out.
That's because the Premier League has announced the officials that will be in charge of the next round of fixtures, with Anthony Taylor picked as the match referee for Arsenal against Man City. Taylor has refereed four matches of the Gunners' this season, including a north London derby and a clash with Manchester United.
It remains to be seen if any big calls will be required from the ref in the game, however the magnitude of it may suggest some key decisions may have to be made.
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