Arsenal, Manchester City Look to Close Gap At Top of Premier League

If you look at the numbers since the start of the season, offensively and defensively, [they] are very close.

David Silva and Sergio Aguero could both be ready for City too.

Both Mikel Arteta and Alexis Sanchez will face late fitness tests to see if they play, but it looks unlikely for both.

But both are bereft elsewhere. None of the other injured players are expected to return, with Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck suffering further setbacks.

Pellegrini confirmed that while captain Vincent Kompany, Fernando, and Samir Nasri were still sidelined, the Argentine striker was in line for a return to the team following a three-week layoff with a heel complaint.

City has a league-high seven wins at home, while Arsenal tops the EPL with six away wins.

Manuel Pellegrini will have to try and ignore speculation suggesting Pep Guardiola will be replacing him at the end of the season and will instead need to focus on getting his side to beat Arsenal for the first time in four attempts.

Manchester City have lost 22 Premier League games against Arsenal, their joint-most defeats against any opponent (along with Chelsea).

“They just thought it was normal that we won at Leicester, but ever since you have been able to see that it was a great result and a great performance on the day”.

At many points in their title winning season, Manchester City faltered – giving rivals Manchester United hope.

Fourteen of the Magpies’ 16 points have come in clashes shown on either BT Sport or Sky Sports with each of their victories against Norwich, Bournemouth, Liverpool and Tottenham, and the draws with Manchester United and Chelsea coming in front of a wider audience.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne says Jurgen Klopp’s vibrant personality has infused his side with the belief they can win the Premier League this season. When you talk to everyone about football, I think anything is possible.

City needed a stoppage time victor to edge past a managerless Swansea side last weekend and have not won back-to-back games in the league since October. Wenger, who sold a number of his best players to pay off the debt incurred from their shift to the Emirates Stadium in 2006, still remembered the pain but said the club are in a much better position to ward off raids from richer clubs.

Granted, with Barcelona to come next it’s reasonable to think that Arsenal will go no further in Europe, but there’s value to be had in the way they fought back to keep alive Wenger’s phenomenal record of reaching the knockout stages every year since moving to London.

On December 21st, Arsenal welcome Manchester City to the Emirates in a match that could help shape the title race.