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Manchester City welcomes Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium on the first day of the restarted Premier League season. The two teams will lock horns in a contest that is set to enthral audiences across the globe.
Pep Guardiola will go up against former pupil Mikel Arteta in a Premier League fixture that has produced interesting results in the past. Manchester City has a significantly stronger squad, however, and will go into the match as favourites.
Manchester City in better shape than Arsenal ahead of opening Premier League fixture
Arsenal is currently in the 9th place on the Premier League table and while Mikel Arteta has made some definite improvements, Manchester City presents an imposing and formidable challenge. The Cityzens themselves have not had the best of seasons but are equipped with a fully fit squad and will back themselves to emerge victorious from the fixture.
Both Manchester City and Arsenal go into the match with nearly complete squads. The break will have given Mikel Arteta the time he needed to mould his team and imprint his ideas on a relatively young Arsenal squad. Pep Guardiola will also have reflected on his underwhelming season and will want to make his Manchester City side fire on all cylinders.
The combined eleven ahead of this Premier League fixture is predictably filled with Manchester City players, but Arsenal will back themselves to spring a surprise on Wednesday.
Goalkeeper
Ederson (Manchester City)
Ederson Moraes wins this battles against Bernd Leno and claims his place in this combined eleven. The Brazilian shot-stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and while Manchester City's defence has failed to impress on more than one occasion, Ederson has been more reliable than ever.
Defence
Centre-back: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
That Fernandinho has been one of Manchester City's best defenders this season is a testament to the poor form of the Cityzens' back-lines.
Manchester City has conceded an uncharacteristic 37 goals this season and while the club's defenders have suffered in the Premier League, Fernandinho continues to stand tall with some excellent performances.
Centre-back: Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Aymeric Laporte has had an unfortunate start to his Manchester City career. The defender started the Premier League season brightly but was ruled out due to injury and Manchester City suffered as a result.
None of Arsenal's defenders can match up to Manchester City's first-choice combination in central defence.
Left-Back: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Bukayo Saka has been one of Arsenal's guiding lights this season. The young sensation is the only Arsenal presence in our back-line and faced tough competition from Benjamin Mendy.
Saka's meteoric rise under Mikel Arteta and his influence on the pitch makes him one of the best young talents in the Premier League.
Right-back: Kyle Walker (Manchester City)
Like much of Manchester City's defence, Kyle Walker has not had the best of seasons but is far better than our other prospective choices. The former Tottenham full-back has put in a few decent performances and is capable of extraordinary bursts of place on the right flank.
Midfield
Defensive Midfield: Rodri (Manchester City)
Rodri is our clear-cut choice in this combined eleven's defensive midfield. The Spaniard has usurped the ever-reliable Fernandinho as Pep Guardiola's first-choice defensive midfielder.
The Catalan manager has lauded Rodri's intelligence and has claimed that the former Atletico Madrid player can become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Left Midfield: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the best midfielder in the country. The Belgian juggernaut is tenacious and creative in equal measure and his vision is matched by very few in the football world.
Mikel Arteta will have to devise a specific plan to keep Kevin De Bruyne quiet because the former Chelsea midfielder is unstoppable on his day.
Right Midfield: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Arsenal does not stake a single claim in this eleven's midfield owing to the sheer talent in Manchester City's squad. Bernardo Silva is one of the most skilful attacking midfielders in the Premier League.
The Portuguese genius has been played as a winger in the past but is perfectly capable of fulfilling a creative role in midfield.
Attack
Left-Wing: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
While Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is generally accustomed to a central role with Arsenal, his electric pace and dribbling process make him the perfect fit for this team's left-wing.
The Gabonese striker has been in sensational form in the Premier League this season and is particularly lethal on the counter. Aubameyang has scored 17 league goals in the current campaign and has been Arsenal's saving grace in the final third.
Striker: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Sergio Aguero finds himself in nearly every Premier League combined eleven. The Argentine hitman is a modern-day Manchester City legend and has consistently propelled the Cityzens to success on the biggest of stages.
Aguero is one of the best strikers in Premier League history and has been in fine form this season. As is the norm, the Argentine is Manchester City's most prolific forward this season with 16 goals.
Right-Wing: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Both Manchester City and Arsenal offer an extensive list of pacy and talented wingers, but Riyad Mahrez has arguably been one of the best forwards in the Premier League this season.
The Algerian has been one of the most productive forwards in England and has seven goals and eight assists from only 15 appearances. Mahrez is likely to start the Premier League fixture on Wednesday and his ability to curve the ball into the top corner with his left foot will terrify Arsenal.
Manchester City v Arsenal Combined XI (4-3-3): Ederson Moraes; Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, Aymeric Laporte, Bukayo Saka; Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva; Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez
Also Read: Manchester City v Arsenal prediction, preview, team news and more
