Arsenal dealt major injury blow ahead of Manchester City Premier League clash

Manchester City have been handed a potential boost ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s side travel to North London on Sunday afternoon seeking to bounce back from last weekend’s surprise loss to Wolves in the Premier League, with a crunch meeting with last season’s title-rivals Arsenal.

Manchester City suffered an FA Community Shield loss to the Gunners on penalties in August, but are unbeaten in the Premier League against Arsenal since 2015, and emphatically thrashed Mikel Arteta’s side 4-1 in April en route to a third successive Premier League title.

The Blues still top the Premier League table ahead of this weekend’s fixture, and will remain in first position for the October international break, with a victory over Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners, who remain unbeaten domestically, have won three of their past five Premier League games, but suffered defeat in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, losing 2-1 to Lens.

Arsenal were dealt a further blow in midweek, as star forward Bukayo Saka was forced off during the Gunners’ defeat with a fresh injury concern.

The Englishman was withdrawn midway through the first-half, and is at risk of missing Sunday’s crunch meeting with Manchester City as a result of the injury problem.

“It doesn’t look good,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta when asked about Saka’s injury post-match.

Manchester City are themselves contending with a series of fitness concerns ahead of Sunday’s match, with Kevin De Bruyne sidelined and Rodri suspended – following a three-match ban for an altercation with Morgan Gibbs-White last month.

Pep Guardiola welcomed Bernardo Silva and John Stones back to first-team training ahead of the Blues’ Champions League clash with RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening in Germany, although Stones hasn’t featured for Manchester City since August.

Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish also recently returned from injury, as Manchester City continue to contend with a number of absentees.