Manchester City will travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal in what is expected to be the most enthralling fixture in the very first week of the 2018/19 Premier League season.
Arsenal will be ushering in a new era following the departure of the legendary Arsene Wenger at the end of last season. But, newly appointed head coach Unai Emery will face a stern test against the defending champions, who are keen to maintain their dominance in English football.
Let us discuss three key duels that could go a long way in deciding the outcome of this game.
Lucas Torreira vs Kevin de Bruyne
Arsenal fans are delighted with the addition of Lucas Torreira, who performed incredibly well for Uruguay in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
It is expected that the former Sampdoria midfielder will start alongside Aaron Ramsey at the base of Arsenal’s 4-2-3-1 formation. But, he might not enjoy a positive start to his Premier League career as he will face the best midfielder in the league in Kevin de Bruyne.
It is needless to say that Arsenal will be in huge trouble if the Belgian manages to find his groove on Sunday. Thus, the onus will be on Torreira to showcase his industry and work-ethic to limit De Bruyne’s impact on the proceedings.
Sokratis vs Sergio Aguero
Another new signing who could play a key role for Arsenal this weekend is former Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis.
The Greek international was brought earlier this summer, in order to provide more steel in the backline following the retirement of Per Mertesacker at the end of last season. But, he has failed to make a good first-impression, largely thanks to his wobbly form in the pre-season.
Thus, the 29-year-old will have a point to prove when he makes his Premier League debut on Sunday. And stopping Manchester City superstar Sergio Aguero could be an ideal way to silence his critics.
The Argentine international is expected to be given the nod ahead of Gabriel Jesus but it will be interesting to see how the quick-footed striker manages to evade the robust Sokratis in the Arsenal backline.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang vs John Stones
While Sokratis will be the tasked with the responsibility of stopping Sergio Aguero, the onus will be on John Stones to deal with the sheer pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Since joining the club earlier this year the striker has scored 10 goals in just 13 league games. Thus, he is definitely a huge threat for the Manchester City defence, likely to be led by English international John Stones.
The former Everton starlet will start alongside Aymeric Laporte, whose lack of experience in the Premier League means that Stones will certainly have to take charge of the backline. A lot will depend on his performance against Aubameyang if the defending champions are to kickstart their campaign with a win on Sunday.