As is often the case when Manchester City and Arsenal go head-to-head in the Premier League, there will be a few reunions with some familiar faces.
Mikel Arteta, of course, started out as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium before taking the top job at the Emirates.
After finishing second behind Man City in each of the last two seasons, the student – who signed a new three-year deal this month – is determined to uproot his old master at long last in 2025.
There will be no Man City reunion for the injured Oleksandr Zinchenko, joined on the sidelines by captain Martin Odegaard.
Gabriel Jesus could feature against the club who brought him into English football from Palmeiras, however. There may also be a role for Raheem Sterling. The Chelsea loanee who, with 121 goals in six seasons, played a massive role in laying the foundations for Manchester City’s current success.
By Arteta’s own admission, the deal which brought Sterling to Arsenal came as a bit of a shock, per ESPN.
Now at The Gunners after spells at City, Chelsea and Liverpool, the experienced England international is a Man United stint away from completing his gauntlet of Premier League infinity stones.
Arsenal loanee Raheem Sterling returns to Manchester City
“I heard Mikel said he was surprised to hire him,” Guardiola says at his pre-match press conference, broadcast via talkSPORT’s official YouTube channel. “I wish him all the best. All the players that behave unbelievably with this club, that help us to be who we are, (to get) where we are…
“He has been so important. I wish him all the best. I would prefer he doesn’t perform on Sunday but I wish him all the best.”
Sterling has made both of his Arsenal appearances from the bench so far. It remains to be seen if Arteta opts to hand the 29-year-old a first start, perhaps in place for the out-of-sorts Gabriel Martinelli in Sunday’s return to his old stomping ground.
Arsenal have found goals hard to come by from open play recently.
But, with what Rio Ferdinand dubs the ‘best (defensive) pairing in Europe’ at their disposal and with David Raya in top form – he made a stunning double save to deny Atalanta a famous win on Thursday – Guardiola knows that even the irrepressible Erling Haaland could be hard pressed cracking Arteta’s deadlock seal.
Pep Guardiola hails William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes
“Always (City vs Arsenal) have been tight games in the last few years,” Guardiola adds, singling out the oft-unbeatable partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. “We are a good team but they are a good team.
“They do many many good things in all the aspects; high pressing, defending deep and transitions. It’s an absolutely complete team. That’s why they have been the biggest rival in the last two seasons.
“Every season is stronger; the depth of squad, adding more players (who are) top quality.”
“In the set pieces, it is not easy. They are so tall.Taller than us,” the former Barcelona boss points out, Gabriel scoring the winner in last weekend’s North London derby with a trademark thumping header from a corner kick.
“In the transitions, (they) are quicker than our transitions offensively. And, when we are able to set them back, they are so strong defensively.
“They defend the space, with the runners in the channels being defensive, with the people in the middle/ So, Saliba and Gabriel. They are incredibly focused.
“It’s always two against one. Sometimes three against one. So that’s why it’s difficult to attack them.”
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