Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter at Arsenal's training ground

Mikel Arteta is going to be sitting down to preview Arsenal's game at home to Manchester City.

There is one big topic this week surrounding Arsenal and that is the club's approach for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.

Arteta said in a recent news conference that his side "need some help" in attacking areas and with the deadline approaching it will be interesting to see if they can make something happen.

Manchester City

A final word from Pep Guardiola on whether any Manchester City players will return from injury for Sunday's game at Arsenal: "No, we will continue the same."

Get more on Manchester City here

Manchester City

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on the short-term future of James McAtee: "I don’t think [we are selling]. He is going to stay. We don’t have enough players. We have a World Cup at the end of the season, we have a lot games. He can play more minutes. They have to fight continually. But I am really pleased for McAtee.

"But, maybe arrive an offer and the club say we have to sell him. The opinion from me on McAtee, I say to club is really clear. But it is the club and they have to sell players, so it depends what happens."

On if they will bring in anymore players before window closes: "I don’t know.

Happy with business club have done?: "With the club always, I'm happy.

"They do best for now and the next five, 10, 20 years. Always try to do best.

"Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t, so not doubts about that."

Manchester City fan Steven McInerney from the 'Esteemed Kompany' Youtube channel believes being the underdog may work in City's favour when they meet Real Madrid in the Champions League play-offs.

The two meet a year on from their epic quarter-final tie but this time will be battling it out for a place in the last 16.

Manchester City

More from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on the Champions League draw: "It is not a surprise now.

"It’s fine. We can be better? Yeah. We can be in top eight? Yeah, but we were not good enough. We don’t deserve to be in the finals this season winning just three games and drawing another one, lost a lot - we don’t deserve it.

"Draw could have been nicer? Yes. The draw is the draw. Bayern Munich was extremely difficult. Real Madrid difficult, we know that. We have done it in the past. It is not a problem.

"I say between season give us more time but that does not happen, but it is okay. We complain? Get another job, go home, manage another country or club."

Bournemouth

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is also talking now about Saturday's game at home to Premier League leaders Liverpool.

On paper it looks set to be one of the matches of the weekend.

Iraola described the fixture as "very difficult, the biggest challenge".

He added: "We are playing well also. I don't know if we will have enough for them, but we will see."

More to follow.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Just a reminder of Manchester City's fixtures in February:

• 2 Feb - Arsenal (a)
• 8 Feb - Leyton Orient (a) FA Cup fourth round
• 11/12 Feb - Real Madrid (h) Champions League play-off first-leg
• 15 Feb - Newcastle (h)
• 18/19 Feb - Real Madrid (a) Champions League play-off second-leg
• 23 Feb - Liverpool (h)
• 26 Feb - Tottenham (a)

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on if facing Arsenal has become a grudge match after recent games: "No."

On words said after match by Mikel Arteta and how their relationship is now: "Exceptional. With him and his family, exceptional.

"Of course not in touch now, he has his business and I have mine and other games, but the respect we have is always there."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola expands on his comments about Manchester City's tough calendar: "Are you asking me that question after many years here? Come on. Don’t make me that question to say something and then pull out that.

"You have been here many years before me and always been like that. Not complaining because we have incredible success playing that calendar.

"So maybe question surprise for you but it happen for always. Always been like that. We accept it. I'm not complaining because we won trebles and had success doing like that.

"Said many times, last season, we play quarter-final against Madrid and three days later we have FA Cup semi-final in Wembley when we could have another day. But we survive.

"I remember when I was in Barcelona and follow Premier League and Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger make same complaints.

"Do you think it is going to change?

"The broadcaster decide, they don’t ask me what is better to play."

Manchester City

More from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on busy February schedule: "We already start in Paris and then face Chelsea, so we are already there in amount of difficult games.

"Schedule is what it is. In Premier League every team has to play everyone. But normally in Premier League they always put toughest schedules for teams in Europe.

"Schedule the most difficult ones because it is tough to play against Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, but the problem is in the middle is Newcastle.

"Always they are so kind for the calendar, so many years, always happens in that way."

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola side-stepped a question about which three new players he would be adding to his Champions League squad for the knockout stages, saying "I don't know".

When asked if Rodri could be one of those possible additions, he replied: "I will not discuss that."

He added that James McAtee was not going to be made available for sale or loan.

More to follow.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on facing Real Madrid in Champions League play-offs: "It feels like a derby already.

"Four years in a row facing Real Madrid.

"But Bayern or Madrid - both was really tough. Hopefully we can arrive in first leg here, and then at Madrid, as best as possible."

Get more on Manchester City here

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says the schedule "is what it is" and added that it is always difficult during the latter stages of the Champions League.

His inference was that it is easier for teams in other European leagues.

Guardiola also confirmed that no injured players were ready to return.

More to follow.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

When Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola spoke to the media after his side's Champions League victory over Club Brugge, knowing they would face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-offs, he said the Blues would not be favourites.

However, he did express a hope by the time those matches come around next month that he would have some of his injured players back.

Essentially, that means Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake.

It will be interesting to see whether either has a chance of being involved at Arsenal on Sunday.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

• Arsenal won this fixture 1-0 last season – they last won consecutive home league games against Man City between 2005-06 and 2008-09 (a run of four)
• Having won 12 consecutive league games against Arsenal between 2017 and 2023, Manchester City are now winless in their last three against the Gunners (D2 L1)
• Arsenal are unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches (W8 D5) and have won the most points of any side from match day 11 onwards (29). The Gunners have never had a longer unbeaten run under Mikel Arteta, last going 14 without defeat between August and December 2018 under Unai Emery

• Manchester City have lost just one of their last 40 Premier League matches played from January until the end of the campaign (W33 D6), losing 1-0 to Brentford on the final day of 2022-23. They are unbeaten in their last 23 of these games across the last two campaigns (W19 D4), scoring 66 goals at an average of 2.9 per game

Saturday, 1 February

• Nott'm Forest v Brighton (12:30)
• Bournemouth v Liverpool (15:00)
• Everton v Leicester (15:00)
• Ipswich v Southampton (15:00)
• Newcastle v Fulham (15:00)
• Wolves v Aston Villa (17:30)

Sunday, 2 February

• Brentford v Tottenham (14:00)
• Man Utd v Crystal Palace (14:00)
• Arsenal v Man City (16:30)

Monday, 3 February

• Chelsea v West Ham (20:00)

Right, Pep Guardiola is coming up shortly.

Quite an interesting few weeks coming up for the Premier League's defending champions, starting with a trip to Arsenal on Sunday.

Let's have a look at the weekend's full fixtures...