Guardiola rouses City to rise to the occasion again
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Arteta urges Arsenal to embrace the moment
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Declan Rice: this is the real quiz
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Yara El-Shaboury: Easter games that have shaped the title race
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Karen Carney: Goal machine meets false 9
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Guardiola: Arsenal’s title push ‘easy’ compared to City
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Jonathan Wilson: Why defenders are the middle men
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Barney Ronay: Title drama enters its final act
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No huge surprises in either side. City prefer Mateo Kovacic to Julian Alvarez; Arsenal have picked Gabriel Jesus ahead of Leandro Trossard. Jesus could play up front but I suspect he’ll play from the left wing.
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John Stones is fit enough for the bench but City are without both Ederson and Kyle Walker. Gabriel Martinelli is fit enough for the Arsenal bench.
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Man City (possible 4-2-3-1) Ortega; Akanji, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; De Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland.
Substitutes: Stones, Grealish, Doku, Alvarez, Gomez, Matheus Luiz, Carson, Bobb, Lewis.
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Arsenal (possible 4-1-4-1) Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Jorginho; Saka, Odegaard, Rice, Gabriel Jesus; Havertz.
Substitutes: Ramsdale, Partey, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Nketiah, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Vieira, Zinchenko.
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How City line up today 🩵
XI | Ortega, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Foden, Haaland
SUBS | Carson, Stones, Grealish, Doku, Alvarez, Gomez, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/g9HsxaGaqK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 31, 2024
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🔴 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
One change from last time out against FC Porto – Jesus replaces Trossard
Let's make it count, Gunners 👊 pic.twitter.com/D41CTze0jS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 31, 2024
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Arsenal are about to find out how good they really are, in front of 53,000 witnesses*. For the aspiring hegemonists of English football, a trip to the Etihad – especially towards the end of the season – is the ultimate litmus test. It’s even more acute for Arsenal after what happened 11 months ago, when Kevin De Bruyne gave them a chilling lesson in the difference between league leaders and league champions.
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It will be a surprise if Arsenal aren’t more competitive this year – they have William Saliba and Declan Rice, and City have a few insecurities of their own. They are without key players in defence, start the game in third place and, almost unthinkably, haven’t beaten a team in the top five this season.
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All endings are on the table, from another City muscle-flex to another Arsenal coming-of-age victory in Manchester. Don’t rule out a tedious draw either; these games can’t always like up to the hype. But when they do, they give us an experience like no other.
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Kick off 4.30pm.
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*This line is nicked from David Lacey, my favourite football writer. It’s too good not to use, your honour.
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important events
Arsenal also played in the Conti Cup final. Xaymaka Awoyungbo has its latest creation.
Reading before the match (extensive)
Liverpool vs Brighton latest match
There are 10 minutes left in the game at Anfield and Liverpool will be aiming to stay top of the league for at least a few hours. If you don’t want to know the score, look away.
Team news: Kovacic and Jesus start
No big surprises on either side. City prefer Mateo Kovacic over Julian Alvarez. Arsenal selected Gabriel Jesus ahead of Leandro Trossard. Jesus can play up front, but I think he will probably play on the left.
John Stones is fit enough on the bench, but City are without Ederson and Kyle Walker. Gabriel Martinelli fits well on Arsenal’s bench.
Man City (possible 4-2-3-1) Ortega; Akanji, Diaz, Ake, Gvardiol. Rodri, Kovacic. De Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden. Harland.
Subs: Stones, Grealish, Doc, Alvarez, Gomez, Matheus Ruiz, Carson, Bob, Ruiz.
Arsenal (possibly 4-1-4-1) Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior. Jorginho. Saka, Odegaard, Reis, Gabriel Jesus. Havertz.
Subs: Ramsdale, Partey, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Nketiah, Tomiyasu, Trossard, Vieira, Zinchenko.
Today’s city order 🩵
11 | Ortega, Akanji, Diaz, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Foden, Haaland
Subscribe | Carson, Stones, Grealish, Doc, Alvarez, Gomez, Nunez, Bob, Lewis#mancity | @Etihad pic.twitter.com/g9HsxaGaqK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 31, 2024
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Today’s city order 🩵
11 | Ortega, Akanji, Diaz, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Foden, Haaland
Subscribe | Carson, Stones, Grealish, Doc, Alvarez, Gomez, Nunez, Bob, Lewis#mancity | @Etihad pic.twitter.com/g9HsxaGaqK
— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 31, 2024
🔴𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
Changes from the last match against FC Porto – Jesus replaces Trossard
Take care, Gunners 👊 pic.twitter.com/D41CTze0jS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 31, 2024
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🔴𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
Changes from the last match against FC Porto – Jesus replaces Trossard
Take care, Gunners 👊 pic.twitter.com/D41CTze0jS
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 31, 2024
preamble
Arsenal are about to prove themselves in front of 53,000 witnesses*. For those aiming to dominate English football, a trip to the Etihad Airways, especially at the end of the season, is the ultimate litmus test. The problem has become even more acute for Arsenal since what happened 11 months ago, when Kevin De Bruyne gave a chilling lesson on the difference between league leaders and league champions.
I would be surprised if Arsenal aren’t more competitive this year – they have William Saliba and Declan Rice and City have some doubts. They are missing key defensive players, started the game in third place and, almost unthinkably, have not beaten a top-five team this season.
From another muscle flexing for City to Arsenal’s coming-of-age victory in Manchester, all outcomes are on the table. Don’t rule out the possibility of a boring draw either. These games don’t always live up to the hype. But when they do, they give us an experience like no other.
kick off 4:30 p.m.
*This line Nickname from David Lacey, my favorite soccer writer. It would be a shame not to use it, sir.
