Oli Price-Bates, The Fresh Arsenal podcast, external

My devotion to Arsenal has only grown stronger with each passing year, and this Valentine's Day I find myself feeling particularly grateful for what they bring into my life and the pride this current crop has reinstalled in me and many Arsenal fans.

And now, on the eve of a crucial match against Manchester City, I can feel my heart racing with excitement but also fear of it breaking. This match could be the turning point in our season, the moment that confirms a crumble, or one that sets us back on the road to the title and that would make up for 20 years of heartbreak.

Mikel Arteta and this current crop of players have brought the club back to life. Whether this season ends in glory or heartbreak, I will always be proud of the effort and dedication that this team has shown and the new dreams they have created for us as fans.

So as I sit down to watch the match on Wednesday, my heart overflowing with love and anticipation, I know that Arsenal have the power to bring me the greatest joy and fulfillment. Please Arsenal, it’s time to get back on track.

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Having sold two left-backs this season, started Kevin de Bruyne on the bench for their defeat by Tottenham and named just three defenders against Aston Villa, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has raised eyebrows over his team selection at times.

Former City defender Nedum Onuoha and Nigel Rothband, host of The Man City Show podcast, tell The Football News Show's Ben Croucher that the supporters are right to trust their manager's decision making.

Watch the latest episode of The Football News Show - all about City - on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

• Manchester City have won their past six away games against Arsenal in all competitions. No team has ever won seven consecutive away games against the Gunners before.
• City are the only side Mikel Arteta has failed to beat in the Premier League, losing all five of his meetings with them.
• Arsenal had a player sent off in both Premier League meetings with Manchester City last season (Granit Xhaka away, Gabriel home).
• Leandro Trossard has already scored against Manchester City this season, netting in Brighton's 3-1 defeat at Etihad Stadium in October.

It wasn't that long ago that these two met in the FA Cup, with City winning the game 1-0. If you fancy, you can watch the highlights of that below...

First thing for Arsenal in this game is to keep all XI men on the pitch for the 90 minutes. The Gunners had a player sent off in both Premier League meetings with Manchester City last season (Granit Xhaka away, Gabriel home).

Only against Newcastle between 2010 and 2011 have the Gunners had a red card in three consecutive Premier League games.

Mikel Arteta's response to the statement from PGMOL was pretty emphatic...

In the aftermath of these VAR incidents, referees' body PGMOL have said that "human error" was to blame for incorrect decisions being made.

PGMOL chief Howard Webb has contacted Arsenal and Brighton to "acknowledge and explain the significant errors" that occurred in their games.

VAR operator Lee Mason did not draw the guidelines to check for offside on Brentford's equaliser against Arsenal.

Brighton had a goal disallowed for offside against Crystal Palace after the VAR guidelines were wrongly drawn.

Read more here.

There was more VAR controversy elsewhere last Saturday when Chelsea were denied a late penalty against West Ham, despite Tomas Soucek appearing to block Conor Gallagher's shot with his arm.

The incident was checked but no further action taken.

Meanwhile, Brighton had a goal incorrectly ruled out for offside because of a human error by the VAR operator in their draw at Crystal Palace.

Pervis Estupinan looked to have put the Seagulls in front in the first half.

VAR John Brooks intervened and ruled the Ecuador defender to be offside when he received Pascal Gross' pass.

However, the offside line was wrongly drawn from James Tomkins rather than his fellow Palace defender Marc Guehi, who was standing just behind him.

If the line had been drawn from Guehi, Brighton's left-back would have been onside and the goal would have stood.

One thing we really don't want tonight, with the importance of the game, is any dodgy VAR decisions.

It has been an especially bad week for the video technology officials, with a number of decisions provoking anger.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta accused officials of "changing the rules" after claiming Brentford's equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Emirates Stadium should have been ruled out for offside.

You can see what Match of the Day pundit Danny Murphy thought of that decision below...

BBC Sport's predictions expert Chris Sutton thinks Arsenal will edge tonight's game and claim a narrow victory, but what do you lot think?

So far, more than 750,000 of you have voted about the outcome on the BBC website - and you can continue to have your say until kick-off, here.

Right now, the consensus is that the Gunners will prevail, but only just.

Around 315,000 (42%) of you are backing Mikel Arteta's side but almost 260,000 (34%) think Manchester City will take the three points.

The other 178,000 (24%) are sitting firmly on the fence!

For this potentially pivotal match in the title race, Chris Sutton is taking on followers of both teams - You Me At Six singer Josh Franceschi, who supports Arsenal, and Cassia bassist Lou Cotterill, a Manchester City fan.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

It's so hard to call because they both have so much attacking talent, but it's worth pointing out that Arteta made lots of changes when he went to City in the FA Cup and did not show his hand in that game.

Arsenal are not going change the way they play - they can't. From my experience of being in title races, you cannot start being conservative halfway through the season.

So, I am sure the Gunners will be bold and play with the same intensity they usually do. It's the right thing to do because I am not convinced by City defensively - they have had so many different combinations at the back this season, which hasn't helped.

I would not be surprised if this game ended up in a draw but, if I am going to pick a winner, I am going with Arsenal. When they get chances, they will take them.

This is not a title decider, though. There is still a very long way to go and I still think City will win the league, even if they lose on Wednesday.

Josh's prediction: 3-1

Of course I'm going with my club! At home this season we've been very impressive and there really is an extraordinary atmosphere at the Emirates now.

We saw in the FA Cup game a couple of weeks ago that the gap in quality has been closed between us and City and I just get the impression they are there to be beaten. It's a huge game and losing it isn't an option.

It's too early to say that if we win, we also win the title - but being six points clear with a game in hand doesn't sound awful, does it?

Lou's prediction: 1-2

I have to back City! We've been playing these types of games for the past five or six years which will give us an edge over this Arsenal team, who are less experienced in these high-pressure moments.

We can't afford to lose but if we can get the three points then it could give us the edge mentally over Arsenal in the title race.

You can read the full prediction piece here

Manchester City

Pep Guardiola speaking to Amazon Prime:

"Arsenal have been fantastic so far so we'll try to perform well.

"When you have 50 points in the first leg it's because you have everything - clear plan, mentality, dedicated to the way the games must be played."

On defensive role of Bernardo Silva: "We have many players who can play there - Sergio [Gomez], Rico [Lewis] and now Bernardo [Silva] can. When you are an intelligent player and can read what is going on, like my lovely Fabian Delph and like Oleksandr [Zinchenko], you can play in other places - it's because they are intelligent players."

On title race: "Many games to play, it will be an intense game, the atmosphere, Arsenal have waited many years to be in this position so you have to handle it. We have to challenge them otherwise it will be difficult."

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Emirates Stadium

This is the biggest Premier League game of the season. The meeting between pace-setters Arsenal and current chasers Manchester City, the reigning champions.

And you can you feel it.

There is a real big occasion buzz inside and outside Emirates Stadium. What a chance for one of these two to strike a blow of real psychological significance.

It has felt in recent weeks like momentum has shifted one way and then the next, with it starting to lean somewhat in City's direction in the last few days.

Arsenal's 2-0 win over Tottenham on 15 January took them eight points clear of City at the top of the Premier League table.

The following week, Eddie Nketiah's 90th-minute winner to make it 3-2 against Manchester United felt like a pivotal moment.

But since then, they have failed to win in three games - the cup defeat by City, a Premier League loss to relegation battlers Everton and then a 1-1 draw with Brentford on Saturday.

With the Gunners still stewing on a controversial VAR decision to allow Ivan Toney's equaliser to stand for Brentford, City beat Aston Villa to give them sight of top spot again.

As Arsenal and Manchester City prepare to meet for the first time this season in the Premier League, former City defender Nedum Onuoha tells The Football News Show that City will need a bit of good fortune to stop Bukayo Saka and that a win for either team will not define their seasons...

Simon Gleave
Head of sports analysis, Nielsen Gracenote

Manchester City are again favourites to win the Premier League after last weekend's results. Our Euro Club Index, external gives City 51% chance of winning the league with Arsenal on 45%. Manchester United have around 4% chance of shocking this season's top two. Arsenal had been favourites for almost the whole of 2023 to date but one point out of six in February for the Gunners has put City back in pole position in our forecast.

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta speaking on Amazon Prime:

"Enthusiasm, energy and looking forward to it. When we're kids we want to be involved in these kind of games.

"We don't know yet [what Thomas Partey's injury is], he felt some discomfort in the muscle so obviously he's been ruled out."

On starting Tomiyasu: "We have to rotate and put players in that can give us different things in games, attacking and defending."

What needs to change from last games: "Efficiency, we have created a lot of chances and dominated games for big periods so it's about putting chances away.

"We must find belief."

BBC Sport looks back at action from recent Arsenal and Manchester City meetings - and analyses the friendship and emerging rivalry between bosses Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta as their two teams compete for the 2023 Premier League title...