Arsenal and Manchester City are set to lock horns at the Etihad Stadium on June 17 after the green light for the Premier League to resume was given following the shareholders’ meeting and Project Restart discussions.
The big clash will be the second game after the restart with Aston Vila hosting Sheffield United a few hours prior. The fans will be kept away from the stadium following the government guidelines for coronavirus and there will be five substitutes allowed each team with the number of players on the bench increased from seven to nine.
Pep Guardiola will have a fully fit squad to choose from as Leroy Sane is back from injury while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who has himself recovered from the virus, is likely to be without Calum Chambers and Lucas Torreira.
Manchester City currently sit second in the Premier League table ahead of welcoming the Gunners, who need a quick turnaround to have any chance of securing a Champions League spot as they are struggling in the 9th place.
Here are 5 players to watch out for when Man City host Arsenal
Sergio Aguero
One of the greatest strikers the Premier League has ever seen, Sergio Aguero is sure to make this list every time he steps on to the field. The Argentine has scored 44 goals in 67 games against the so-called ‘big six’ which is the highest by any player since 2011 and speaks volumes about his threat. Pep will once again bank on the 32-year-old as City look to restart the campaign with a win.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Aubameyang has been one of the positives in the otherwise tumultuous season for Arsenal as he has continued his good goal scoring record at the Emirates since arriving from Dortmund. The Gabon international has netted 61 times in 97 games for Arsenal which is not at all a bad record considering the lack of quality on offer from much of the Arsenal squad.
Kevin De Bruyne
Arguably the best midfielder in the world right now, Kevin De Bruyne is expected to be a natural starter in the clash. He would be the supplier of those deadly balls into the box for top-notch strikers like Aguero to pounce upon. He is sure to dictate the proceedings of the game with a vast array of passes and excellent vision, which is sure to make it tough for the Arsenal defenders to survive the 90 minutes without conceding.
Riyad Mahrez
Having snatched the first-team spot from Bernardo Silva off -late, Riyad Mahrez is slowly showing traits of the player he used to be at Leicester City. He would be crucial to City’s attacks and would also be a definite goal threat with his nimble dribbling and brilliant left foot strikes.
With Sterling, Sane and Bernardo as options, the Algerian has to further up the ante in his displays to cement his place in a high-quality City squad.
Bernd Leno
Arsenal were not in the greatest of forms before the abrupt pause to the season and there are signs they will need more time under Arteta and in actual match scenarios to gel as a team. Their defence has seen signs of improvement but there is still a long way to go before the manager can be confident of his backline ahead of a game against the Premier League top 2.
On paper, City are expected to dominate the game and the opposition goalkeeper, i.e Leno, needs to be in inspired form for the Gunners to take any point back to the Emirates. He has shown flashes of brilliance this season especially with his shot-stopping and that trait will have to be on full display at the Etihad.
