Premier League leaders Arsenal head to the Etihad tonight as they take on Manchester City in a potentially decisive game in the Premier League title race. 

Arsenal are currently five points clear at the top of the table, but City still has two games in hand and home advantage in midweek. 

The Gunners are looking to bag their first Premier League title since 2004. They could have amassed an 11-point lead in recent weeks but a shaky performance has opened the league back up and Pep Guardiaola’s City are eyeing up the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble. 

Arsenal must fight back after a few lacklustre games in which the young team have started to show their inexperience. Their last three games have seen consecutive draws.

City have won all 11 of their games on home soil in 2023, scoring 43 goals in the process. And new golden boy Erling Haaland is just two goals away from matching the all-time Premier League record of 34 goals in a season and 50 in all competitions in his first year in English football. 

Here is all you need to know about the game.

Manchester City vs Arsenal: The clash to determine the title

Team News 

Manchester City are set to face Arsenal in a crucial Premier League match on Wednesday. City will likely miss defender Nathan Ake due to doubts about his fitness, but otherwise, the team has a clean bill of health. 

Arsenal, on the other hand, will be without defender William Saliba due to a back injury and midfielder Granit Xhaka, who is doubtful due to illness. Saliba’s absence has been a significant setback for the team. The match is expected to be highly competitive as both teams vie for a spot in the top four.

Football record – Head-to-head

Arsenal’s record against Manchester City doesn’t look good. They have lost all seven of their previous encounters in all competitions and haven’t won a league game at City since 2015. To make matters worse, City have already beaten Arsenal twice this season – a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup fourth round and a 3-1 win in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium in February.

What have the managers said?

Guardiola: “Wednesday is a final against a team that has been the best team in England so far and is five points ahead of us. It’s a massive, important game for us. We know winning will give us a step to putting it completely in our hands.”

Arteta: “We knew we had to go to Etihad and, after that, we are going to have five very difficult games. So that game [on Wednesday] is going to be really important. Is it going to define this season? The answer is no … if we win tomorrow we have not won the league. It will shift probably the percentage, but five games in this league is very tricky still.”

Where can I watch Manchester City vs Arsenal in the UK? 

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on BT Sport 1, with coverage beginning at 7pm.

Live stream: Subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the BT Sport app and website.