Manchester City v Arsenal predictions: Apprentice Arteta can succeed against his former master

Where to watch

ITV, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Arsenal or draw double chance
1pt 11-10 BoyleSports, Hills

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Team news

Manchester City
City have a clean bill of health.

Arsenal
Gabriel Jesus (knee) and Reiss Nelson (thigh) are unavailable for the Gunners.

Match preview

Mikel Arteta has been getting the better of Pep Guardiola in the Premier League title race and the apprentice could teach his former master a lesson when Arsenal take on Manchester City in their heavyweight FA Cup fourth-round clash at the Etihad Stadium.

City are odds-on to progress at the first attempt but an evenly-matched contest is on the cards and Arsenal look decent value to emerge with either a replay or a place in the last 16.

Early rounds of the FA Cup can afford bigger clubs an opportunity to rest senior men and hand out opportunities to fringe players. However, the fixture comes during a quieter period of the season for both clubs and its magnitude is likely to be reflected by the strength of the starting line-ups.

The psychological warfare of the title race has barely started but Friday's clash is the first meeting between these teams this season and the value of victory could be far more significant than a mere place in the fifth round.

Second-guessing Guardiola's line-ups and formations is a challenge on any match day, although the majority of City's big hitters are likely to be involved. Pep's regular chopping and changing has played a part in keeping the squad fit and healthy and City approach the end of a busy month without any major injury concerns.

But there has been a downside in terms of performance with inconsistencies from one game to the next and, in the case of last Thursday's 4-2 triumph at home to Tottenham, from the first half to the second.

City have done just enough to stay in contention for the title but they haven't managed anything more than a two-game winning sequence since the World Cup and efforts to win a third match on the trot could be dashed by the Gunners, who do not look in the mood to ease up.

Arsenal's priority is to win the Premier League but they are the most successful FA Cup team in the country, lifting the trophy 14 times, and are unlikely to go quietly at the Etihad.

Arteta has lifted the trophy three times with the Londoners – twice as a player and once as manager – and his team come into the cup game high on confidence after winning six of their last seven matches.

Arsenal's early-season successes were often attributed to a kind set of fixtures but they passed a couple of huge tests with their recent victories away to Tottenham (2-0) and at home to Manchester United (3-2) and are in the optimum physical and mental state to land a knockout blow in another heavyweight clash.

Key stat

Arsenal have won their last five away fixtures.

Probable teams

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Akanji, Stones, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva; Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish.
Subs: Lewis, Laporte, Gundogan, Ake, Alvarez, Dias, Foden.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Party, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli.
Subs: Tomiyasu, Holding, Trossard, Vieira, Marquinhos, Smith Rowe, Tierney

Inside info

Manchester City

Penalty taker Erling Haaland
Assist ace Kevin De Bruyne
Set-piece aerial threat Erling Haaland
Card magnet Joao Cancelo

Arsenal

Penalty taker Bukayo Saka
Assist ace Bukayo Saka
Set-piece aerial threat William Saliba
Card magnet William Saliba

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