The north Londoners are currently fourth in the Premier League standings, four points clear of fourth-placed West Ham United at the midway point of the season.
Ahead of the match against City, the Gunners have been put through their paces at the club’s London Colney training ground as they look to defeat Pep Guardiola’s side for the first time since July 2020 – when they clinched a 2-0 victory in the FA Cup semi-final thanks to a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Tomiyasu update
Japan international Takehiro Tomiyasu has been one of the Gunners’ best players since joining from Serie A outfit Bologna over the summer.
The versatile defender has slotted into the right-back role seamlessly under Arteta’s tutelage, demonstrating his ability to read the game to an elite level whilst also aiding Arteta’s side in the build-up phase.
Tomiyasu has started in every Premier League match since making his debut against Norwich City back in September, however, after testing positive with Covid-19 last week he was ruled out of the corresponding fixture against the Canaries on Boxing Day.
Now, the 23-year-old was nowhere to be seen at London Colney, meaning he may not be back for Saturday’s outing at the Emirates.
Patino involved
Charlie Patino is the latest prodigy to impress after graduating from the club’s esteemed Hale End academy.
The talented teenager made his first-team debut during last week’s 5-1 victory against Sunderland in the Carabao Cup, scoring Arsenal’s fifth goal, dispatching a Nicolas Pepe cutback just 11 minutes after coming off the substitutes’ bench.
Considering Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny will be heading to the Africa Cup of Nations in the coming days, the Gunners may need to call on Patino for their FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest, as well as the Carabao Cup semi-final against Liverpool.
And the Watford-born starlet was involved in Wednesday’s session, spotted duelling with Norwegian playmaker Martin Odegaard.
