Much at stake for Arsenal and City

ARSENAL’S durability and Manchester City’s fragility will be under the microscope at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as both clubs try to keep in touch with English Premier League leaders Chelsea.

A first win over Arsenal in three years would stabilise City’s title challenge, after a difficult period for Pep Guardiola’s side.

City was back on track on Wednesday night with a clean sheet in a 2-0 home victory over Watford.

Arsenal looked like Chelsea’s main rivals until a 2-1 midweek defeat at Everton ended an unbeaten league run stretching back to the opening day of the season.

Those results left Arsenal and City in third and fourth place respectively after 16 games.

However, by the time they kick off on Sunday, they could find themselves nine and 10 points adrift of Chelsea, who visit Crystal Palace tomorrow.

An 11th consecutive win for Chelsea will raise the stakes considerably for the chasing pack.

Tottenham Hotspur, who are fifth, host Burnley on Sunday, while second-placed Liverpool face their neighbours, Everton, on Monday.

Sixth-placed Manchester United visit West Bromwich Albion tomorrow, eyeing a third straight victory.

City’s triumph over Watford followed defeats against Chelsea and champions Leicester City that had manager Guardiola defending himself against accusations that his tactics were confusing the players.

The Spaniard is not used to such attacks, but there was a sense that he told his players to stick to basics against Watford when he reshaped his defence, dropping John Stones.

A first home league win since September 17 was the perfect fillip before facing an Arsenal side that, until Tuesday’s defeat, had been scoring for fun.

City will still be without suspended duo Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho – a legacy of the late melee against Chelsea – while German midfielder Ilkay Guendogan faces a long layoff after suffering a knee injury against Watford.

While Guardiola has been under the spotlight, Arsene Wenger has looked serene with his Arsenal side showing no sign of the kind of slumps that have undermined so many title challenges.

But a second consecutive defeat will rob them of all momentum heading into the Christmas fixtures. – Reuters