Predicted Arsenal XI to face Man City in Premier League title decider | OneFootball

All eyes will be on the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon as Arsenal travel to Manchester City for what could be the most important game left in the title race.

Arsenal go into the clash with a six-point lead at the top of the table to protect, knowing it could disappear if they lose and City also go on to win their game in hand.

Many expect Mikel Arteta to set his side up negatively, with a draw being seen as a good result to preserve their title chances.

Here’s the predicted starting XI for Arsenal against City.

GK: David Raya

Raya has been ever-present for Arsenal in the league this season, a pattern they won’t be changing now at such a critical stage of the season.

He leads the way for clean sheets among Premier League goalkeepers this season with 15, which is three higher than City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma’s tally.

But can he prevent Erling Haaland from scoring in a fourth consecutive league appearance against Arsenal?

RB: Ben White

With Jurrien Timber still an injury doubt, right-back will be a harder position for Arteta to pick a starter. Cristhian Mosquera played there against Sporting CP in the Champions League in midweek, but the experience of White may be preferred against City.

That was the case in the Carabao Cup final, when he was tasked with keeping Jeremy Doku at bay (and memorably booted Rayan Cherki).

CB: William Saliba

It will surely be the tried and trusted for Arsenal at centre-back in a game where they will have to be defensively resolute.

Saliba played the full 90 minutes against Sporting in midweek and will be expected to last the course against City too.

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes

Next to the Frenchman, Gabriel will be aiming to add to his current streak of 13 consecutive Premier League matches played in full for Arsenal. He hasn’t missed a minute in the league in 2026.

The Brazilian scored on his last visit to the Etihad in September 2024, when Arsenal came away with a 2-2 draw.

LB: Piero Hincapie

Hincapie came back into the starting lineup against Sporting after sitting out the loss to Bournemouth, when Myles Lewis-Skelly played instead.

With Riccardo Calafiori questionable on the injury front, Hincapie is likely to start against City, offering more defensive stability than Lewis-Skelly would.

CM: Martin Zubimendi

Zubimendi has started all but one of Arsenal’s league games this season, proving himself as one of the best signings of the season from the base of midfield.

The only time he didn’t start was against West Ham way back in October and even then he came on in the first half. He is becoming indispensable.

CM: Declan Rice

Rice captained Arsenal last week against Bournemouth and on Wednesday night against Sporting.

He has started all but one of Arsenal’s league games starting from the reverse fixture against City (who once wanted to sign him from West Ham) in September.

RW: Noni Madueke

Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka is definitely out for the City game, so he will be hoping Madueke can push through.

Madueke is the only viable alternative on the right wing for Arsenal unless Arteta picks Max Dowman – which would be too much pressure on the youngster on an occasion like this – or plays someone who usually prefers to operate on the left on the right instead.

AM: Eberechi Eze

Martin Odegaard is still a question mark in terms of his fitness, so there could be an opportunity for Eze to start in an attacking midfield role, as he did against Sporting.

It was Kai Havertz against Bournemouth though, so it should be a battle between those two for the starting berth.

LW: Gabriel Martinelli

Martinelli scored a late equaliser for Arsenal when they hosted City in September’s reverse fixture.

Strikingly, it remains his only league goal this season, but he has scored 10 in the cups.

Starts in Arsenal’s games against Bournemouth and Sporting over the past seven days suggest he has the edge over Carabao Cup final starter Leandro Trossard in Arteta’s thinking right now.

ST: Kai Havertz

While Havertz is a candidate to play in attacking midfield, they might need him up front instead, in place of Viktor Gyokeres.

Gyokeres has scored in both of his last two league games, but was ineffective against his former club Sporting in the Champions League. And he did next to nothing in the League Cup final defeat to City.

In a game where Arsenal will need to go the extra mile, Havertz’s pressing from the front could be key to their setup, with Gyokeres an option to create danger from the bench.