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#3 Mikel Arteta's knowledge of Manchester City
Having worked with Pep Guardiola for almost three years, there is no other opposing manager who knows Manchester City as well as Arteta does. Due to the 38-year-old's tactics, Arsenal defeated City in the FA Cup semi-final held at the Wembley Stadium in July.
Before he arrived at Arsenal, some doubted Arteta's capability as a manager given his lack of experience. Within a short span of time, the Spaniard has proven his doubters wrong and gained the trust of the squad.
Leveraging his knowledge about Guardiola's style of play, and the ability of every Manchester City player, Arteta can guide his team to victory today. There is no doubt that City know Arteta's influence as a manager. Reflecting on the former midfielder's time at Etihad Stadium, Raheem Sterling commended:
"So I knew once he went into Arsenal that it would be a great opportunity for him, but also he would definitely implement what he wanted to bring in."
"And he's a person that will put his foot down and not let things slide as, you can see with the boys at Arsenal. They know if they don't run they are most likely not going to play."
#2 A mounting injury list for Pep Guardiola's side
In Guardiola's pre-match press conference, he confirmed that Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus will miss the Arsenal match. While Sergio Aguero has been involved in training, it is unsure if he will be fit to start the game. With multiple key players out of the game, Manchester City could struggle for goals against the Gunners.
Arteta has significantly improved Arsenal's defence this season, conceding just five goals in the last four matches. However, the same cannot be said for City, who have scored fewer and let in more goals than the Gunners in three games.
De Bruyne's absence will be a huge loss for the home team. The Belgian midfielder has a good record against Arsenal; he scored five and assisted two in 10 Premier League matches. Without the 29-year-old, Manchester City could struggle in their attack.
#1 Arsenal's summer additions could make a difference
As compared to the team that had beaten Manchester City 2-0 in July, the squad has recently welcomed Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey. These two defensive additions stand a chance of being named in Arsenal's starting eleven today.
Since his arrival, Gabriel has proven to be a huge game-changer for the Gunners. With an impressive passing accuracy of 93% and an average of three clearances per game, the former Lille player won Arsenal's September Player of the Month award, ahead of the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
Additionally, Arsenal have also brought in long-term target Partey on Deadline Day. The Ghanian, who is known for his discipline in the midfield, could slot straight into the starting line-up alongside Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos.
The Arsenal faithful have often lamented how the team lacked balance and stability in the centre of the pitch. Yet, the timely arrival of Gabriel and Partey may very well make a difference in the game and help annul the attacking threat of Manchester City.
