Ahead of the game, most of the pressure will be on Arsenal, not Manchester City. The Gunners are the challengers, having finished second in the Premier League behind Pep Guardiola's side twice in a row. And after four games of the new season, the Gunners are once again playing catch-up. Overall, Arsenal have not beaten Man City since the 2014-15 season.
Last season, Arsenal were heavily criticised for trying to hold Man City to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad. This was one of the reasons why The Gunners regrettably lost the championship. And this will be a lesson when Arsenal travel to Man City's home ground this season.
In fact, Arsenal should be forgiven for having to compete with Man City, who won the title with 91 points last season. That tally is all the more surprising given that Man City have dropped four points in their two games against Arsenal.
What really cost Arsenal was that they didn't have the resources of Guardiola's side. In fairness, the Gunners have moved up a level, rising from 84 points to 89 last season.
It’s a progression from Arteta’s side as they seek to maximise every last detail. And they will have to do so again in the absence of playmaker Martin Odegaard. What will be more interesting will be how Arteta lines up his attack. Will Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz be selected? This would be a contrast to Man City, as Guardiola’s entire squad is built around Erling Haaland.
Is it a positive for Arsenal that the Norwegian's incredible scoring streak has ended against Inter Milan in the Champions League? Or is it a bad omen that Haaland will now be more hungry for goals? Remarkably, Haaland has yet to score against Arsenal's centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba in three games.
That’s down to the way the pair have developed together, but also to Arteta reshaping the team around a solid defence. Arsenal have been even tougher to score against than last season, with just one goal conceded in five games.
Arteta has every reason to continue to play calculatingly against Man City, especially in the absence of a playmaker like Odegaard. This will be even more evident if Man City’s Kevin de Bruyne is also absent. Therefore, this match could be completely boring due to the tactical calculations of both coaches.
It would be a surprise if Arsenal were to attack without Odegaard. Admittedly, that is a bigger problem than expected, even if Arteta insists it is not. They lack creative players and it is too early for successors like Ethan Nwaneri to step up.
The game will also be affected by the 115 financial charges Man City are facing. Arsenal may lose this weekend but the situation could change quickly if Man City lose their case in April next year. Of course, The Citizens continue to insist they are innocent.
