Manchester City

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

We may not know for a few days what the damage of Manchester City's draw with Arsenal is.

As manager Pep Guardiola pointed out, Rodri is not the type of player to leave a game early, so the fact he did suggests the injury he suffered in the opening stages of the game is serious.

It is well-established how important he is to this City team, so if the Spain midfielder is ruled out for any length of time, it is bound to have an impact on their chances of extending their run of four successive Premier League titles.

Mateo Kovacic is an excellent player and the return of Ilkay Gundogan means there are options for the centre of City's midfield.

But Pep knows - like everyone knows - no-one can replace Rodri. He is possibly the single most important player in the City squad.

In a season of off-field issues, Guardiola could be about to be presented with a pretty significant one on it.

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been speaking to Sky Sports following the game: "I don't know how many Arsenal players went down with cramp, but that can of course happen in a demanding game.

"We crossed and crossed - and had Ruben [Dias], Manuel [Akanji], Erling [Haaland] - but when you cross they have Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, so it is so difficult. There were ten players there.

"In the end, we got what we deserved."

On Arsenal time-wasting: "Maybe I would have done the same, because it is with ten men. You have to ask Mikel [Arteta] what the tactic was.

"They were good with the long balls into Kai Havertz, who is so strong, and they go for the second balls.

"In the end, we were patient and had the chances and got the goal. That is all."

On Rodri's injury: "I don't know how he is. I haven't spoken with the doctors [yet]."

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Manchester City goalscorer John Stones, has been speaking to Sky Sports after his last minute equaliser: "You are frustrated that you don't get to start in these big games and before the game I tried to channel it and have a positive attitude if needed to come on.

"Over the years, we have learned as a team to stick together, no matter who is playing and to always be ready - I'm sure you have heard the manager say that plenty of times.

"I came on and tried to be inside the box for more crosses. One dropped to me and thankfully I put it in the back of the net. I'm really pleased to have scored the goal like that."

On whether he thought the game was over before his goal: "No. Prime example was a few years ago against Aston Villa [the 3-2 comeback] here - I think that sums it up. We have the belief that we can win any game and we will never stop fighting."

On Guardiola's words before he came on: "He wanted me to play closer to Erling [Haaland] and get higher up the pitch, so that when we got crosses in we could start to win more aerial duels.

On whether Guardiola has asked him to do that before: "Not really, but the team is so interchangeable. Everyone is in and out of the pockets, so fluid in movements. It's about recognising that if someone is out out of position, you have to occupy it."

On whether Arsenal have mastered the 'dark arts': "I wouldn't say they have mastered it but they have done it for a few years now, so we knew to expect that. You can call it clever or dirty, whichever way you want to put it, but they break up the game which upsets the rhythm. They use it to their advantage and we dealt with it very well."

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Manchester City's Erling Haaland became the first player in Premier League history to reach 10 goals in as few as five games from the start of a season in the competition.

Until John Stones' goal, Erling Haaland had also scored each of Manchester City's last eight Premier League goals. Only Alan Shearer for Blackburn Rovers in October/November 1993 has ever scored more in succession for a club in the competition (nine in a row).

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Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week five, he takes on singer-songwriter and West Ham fan James Smith whose debut album, Common People, is out now.

Manchester City host Arsenal on Sunday at 16:30 BST.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Arsenal got a lot of praise for the way they shut out City here for a draw last season, but they then lost the title race by two points.

Of course that left them open to anyone who wanted to be 'Captain Hindsight' - like I did when I turned the result around and used it to question the Gunners.

Yes, that criticism was harsh but we are talking about the fine margins between finishing first and second.

Inter Milan showed on Wednesday that you can hurt City at the same time as keeping them quiet and they were very brave with the way they were playing out. They surprised me actually, because they beat City's press very easily.

I don't like to back against Arsenal because, defensively, they are so strong. They have also won all but one of their 11 away Premier League games in 2024 - the exception being that draw at the Etihad in March - and have kept nine clean sheets.

That is incredible and, if they wanted to, they could cause City problems on the counter-attack too, the same way Inter did.

I was at that game and thought City were well below their best. Erling Haaland was quiet and Kevin de Bruyne might not be fit to face the Gunners after getting injured before half-time.

Still, it is almost two years since City failed to score in two successive games - October 2022, when they drew 0-0 in Copenhagen in the Champions League and then lost at Anfield in the Premier League. I am expecting a reaction, and I don't think they will be as flat as they were on Wednesday.

James's prediction: 3-1

What a game this will be. It is going to be close, but you just can't stop Haaland at the moment. He will be the difference because I just don't think Arsenal have really got a goalscorer.

Read their full predictions and have your own say here

Former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown does not believe Manchester City v Arsenal is a title decider this early into the season, but expects it to be "fascinating".

Speaking on BBC iPlayer's The Football News Show, he said: "When City played at the weekend and Arsenal had to go to their rivals Spurs to get a result, I think the pressure was higher.

"If Arsenal were coming into this game on the back of losing that one, the pressure would be greater because of the gap of points. It was a really impressive, dogged performance for Arsenal and I think the pressure is on City.

"They have started very well but this is a different game. This is an Arsenal side that will come and test them. We always expect something different. Fascinating game.

"It's a wonderful occasion - a real big game - and everybody is looking forward to it. I don't think it is title deciding right now, but it can give either team a big psychological lift."

When it comes to this fixture at the moment, you always have to say it is a bigger game for Arsenal than for Manchester City.

City have won the title for the past four years, but psychologically if Arsenal win this game, while I do not think it is going to determine if Arsenal win the league this time, it does give them that psychological edge of getting those points against their title rivals away from home.

If the Gunners were to win, then that means they would have already got wins away to Aston Villa, Tottenham and the title holders, which would be a big boost mentally. You look at last season and what happened against Villa late in the campaign, that was probably the game that cost them the title in the end.

Even if they were to get three points on Sunday, Arteta will not be naive to think this will be the defining game of the campaign. He knows the qualities of Manchester City and they are a team that you know you can never write off because they have done it so many times.

They have those experiences in the bag that Arsenal don't have right now. But you do feel the Gunners are closer to the title than they have ever been before and if you were to pick a season that they did it, it would be this one.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Image source, Getty Images

Arsenal earned four points against Manchester City in the Premier League last season, double the amount they had from their previous 15 league meetings with City (W0 D2 L13).

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Pep Guardiola says he is not good at playing mind games, but then says he prefers to play against opponents who are at full strength.

As a former player of some standing, I am sure the Manchester City boss can empathise with injured players and on a human level, he says he feels sorry for Martin Odegaard because he will miss a huge game on Sunday.

But deep down, I suspect Guardiola feels it is a positive for his team that Arsenal will be missing their skipper.

It was the same when it came to the schedule.

There are numerous times when it has worked against Manchester City, largely due to the sheer number of games they have to squeeze in.

But this time it is definitely working for them. At home, following a home Wednesday European tie, against opponents who played in Italy on a Thursday.

Guardiola might well prefer to play against opponents who are at full strength. But he knows Arsenal will not be that on Sunday.

And all he really cares about is City - and their result.