Manchester City
Reuters

Manchester City play hosts to league leaders Arsenal at the Etihad stadium in the most anticipated game of the weekend in the Premier League.

Where to Watch Live

Click here for live updates of the match which kicks off at 1245GMT. Live coverage in the UK will be available on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 1 HD.

Overview

Manchester City have been in majestic form at home this season, winning all their games here, bar a loss to European Champions Bayern Munich. The Citizens have conceded only two league goals at home and come into the game as favourites to cut the gap between themselves and the Gunners to just three points. Manuel Pellegrini will be boosted by their performance against Bayern at the Allianz Arena, where they won 3-2 without many of their first-choice players, including Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri and Yaya Toure.

The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 1-1 draw, an equaliser from Laurent Koscielny sealing a point for the Gunners. However, this is a different City at home this season, a team that has scored 10 goals against Manchester United and Tottenham and conceded only one. With the Gunners flying high, a win here will dispel any doubts about their title challenge this season.

Arsenal have been the in-form team this season and come to the Etihad with the best away record in the league. Their only loss away from home has been against Manchester United, going down 1-0 to a Robin van Persie header in the first half.

The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud have stepped it up this season and have taken the Gunners to a new level which has taken them five points clear at the top of the table.

What the Managers Say

Manuel Pellegrini: "For Arsenal and our team, this is a very important game. They played one day after we did in the Champions League. Maybe our match was not exactly the same but I don't think that will be an advantage or those things will decide the game. I think the way both teams will play will be more important. We need to be at least three points near the top. All the teams, especially if we win, will be near us. There are six or seven teams fighting for the title."

Arsene Wenger: "'We have been very consistent away from home. The only blip we had was at Manchester United and people forget they had two shots on target and scored a goal off a shoulder from a corner. But that's what we can learn from that game. We forgot a little bit to project ourselves forward. And that's what we want to do better tomorrow, to be dangerous offensively. We need to make sure we have the ball."

Form Guide

Manchester City

    • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): W D W W W
    • Last Result: Bayern Munich 2-3 Manchester City

Arsenal

    • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): L D W W W
    • Last Result: Napoli 2-0 Arsenal

Team News

Manchester City

    • Injured: Matija Nastasic(calf), Stevan Jovetic (calf).
    • Doubtful: Micah Richards(hamstring)
    • Suspended: N/A

Probable Line-Up: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Touré; Navas, Agüero, Nasri; Negredo.

Arsenal

    • Injured: Lukas Podolski (match fitness), Yaya Sanogo (back), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee), Abou Diaby (knee), Ryo Miyaichi (hamstring) .
    • Doubtful: N/A
    • Suspended: N/A

Probable Line-Up: Szczesny; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Ramsey, Arteta; Wilshere, Özil, Cazorla; Giroud.

Manchester United FC