Man City XI vs Arsenal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Premier League | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has defensive concerns for crunch title clash

Manchester City have Nico O’Reilly fit for this weekend’s title showdown with Arsenal, though Ruben Dias will miss out again.

O’Reilly was the match-winner as City saw off rivals Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final last month, but had been a doubt for Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium after going off with a hamstring injury after opening the scoring in the 3-0 win over Chelsea.

Dias missed that game in west London as he continues to nurse an ankle problem suffered in the Champions League last-16 second-leg defeat by Real Madrid that saw him also miss out on Wembley in addition to the FA Cup quarter-final demolition of Liverpool.

John Stones has yet to return from his calf issue, while fellow defender Josko Gvardiol is still working his way back from surgery on a leg fracture suffered in early January.

If O’Reilly is not ready to start against Arsenal, then Rayan Ait-Nouri would take his place at left-back - as he did off the bench against Chelsea.

Marc Guehi and Abdukodir Khusanov should continue as the centre-back pairing in the absence of Dias, with Matheus Nunes on the right of defence and Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.

Concern: Nico O’Reilly scored for Manchester City against Chelsea but then went off injured

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Though Guardiola is known to tweak his team plenty, it is hard to see him wanting to change too much in a side that so comprehensively dispatched of both Liverpool and Chelsea - Donnarumma for James Trafford was the only alteration he made between those two matches.

Bernardo Silva and Rodri have been impressing in midfield, with Rayan Cherki starring as the central figure in an attacking triumvirate alongside Antoine Semenyo and Jeremy Doku, supporting prolific striker Erling Haaland.

Guardiola does have a wealth of options if he does wish to freshen things up on Sunday, with the likes of Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders, Omar Marmoush and Savinho all potential alternatives going forward.

Nico Gonzalez can offer a steady presence in midfield, while Mateo Kovacic came off the bench late on against former club Chelsea to make his first appearance since October following a long-term ankle injury.

Doubt: Stones

Injured: Dias, Gvardiol