Manchester City vs Arsenal predicted lineups: Will stars win race to be fit?

Manchester City and Arsenal go head-to-head in a massive clash between Premier League title contenders on Sunday.

PREVIEW, HOW TO WATCH LIVE: MANCHESTER CITY v ARSENAL

Pep Guardiola has plenty of injury concerns to deal with as Ederson, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji and Kevin de Bruyne are all struggling to be fit.

Mikel Arteta has a couple of injury doubts but Arsenal are in much better shape, fitness wise, heading into this mammoth clash.

Below is a look at the Manchester City vs Arsenal predicted lineups, with analysis on how both teams could start and where the key head-to-head battles will take place.

Manchester City predicted lineup (3-2-4-1)

——- Ederson ——-

—— Walker —— Slides —— Sled —-

—— Stones —— Rodri ——

—- Foden —- Bernardo —- De Bruyne —- Documentary —-

——- Haaland ——-

City have some massive injury concerns as you can see the players underlined above who are all at risk of not being fit. Ortega proved himself at Liverpool last time out so if Ederson isn’t fit, City fans shouldn’t be too worried. If Walker is out then we could see Rico Lewis start at right back and Pep could shift to a back four, while Stones being out would also cause a huge issue in his hybrid right back/central midfield/central defense role. Kovacic is the most likely to come in for Stones but again, Pep will likely go with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation if that happens. Rodri being in midfield for this game is massive as he missed the defeat at Arsenal earlier in the season and his battle with Rice will be epic. Foden and Bernardo Silva are sure to start in attack, while Kevin de Bruyne is battling to be fit. If he isn’t perhaps Jack Grealish (expected to be fit) or Julian Alvarez will start, while Doku should get the nod on the left again to have a go at Ben White. Erling Haaland still starts up top after a slight injury concern and City will look to find him early and often centrally and get Foden and De Bruyne just off him to cause Arsenal problems and force their center backs to step high.

Arsenal predicted lineup (4-3-3)

——- Raya ——-

—- White —- Saliba —- Gabriel —- Kiwior —-

—- Odegaard —— Jorginho —— Rice ——

—— The thing —— Havertz —— Martinelli ——

Arsenal have a very settled defensive unit with Kiwior really taking his chance at left back. Jorginho should start in midfield given his experience and how he’s been able to help Arsenal control games from his deep-lying playmaker role. Thomas Partey is an option but Mikel Arteta will likely go with Jorginho given the form he’s been in and how much his Arsenal teammates look to him in these big games. The duo of Odegaard and Rice alongside Jorginho make the team tick and the latter has a huge task to stop Rodri from dominating midfield. Saka and Martinelli are both injury doubts but should start. If they don’t, expect Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard to get the nod. Arteta’s starting lineup is pretty easy to pick right now given how well this team is playing as a unit and how solid they’ve been all season long. Havertz will start up top and his movement will be crucial to opening up space for Arsenal’s other forwards to exploit, as the German has been very impactful in recent weeks.