February 2nd 2025.
As the highly anticipated Premier League game between Arsenal and Manchester City approaches this afternoon, there is some concern over the fitness of Arsenal's goalkeeper, David Raya. After being absent in their previous match against Girona, Raya's recovery from an unspecified knock is uncertain, leaving the Gunners on edge. Manager Mikel Arteta remained tight-lipped when asked for an injury update, adding to the suspense.
Luckily, there is some positive news for Arsenal as they welcome back Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino, who both missed their win against Wolves last weekend. Odegaard was sidelined due to illness, while Merino had picked up a minor injury. However, both players trained with the team and played the full 90 minutes in their 2-1 victory against Girona on Wednesday.
On the other hand, there was initially some disappointment for young defender Myles Lewis-Skelly as he received a controversial red card in their match against Wolves. It was expected that he would miss the upcoming game against City due to his three-match suspension, but Arsenal's successful appeal has overturned the red card. This means that Lewis-Skelly could retain his spot in the starting lineup. However, there is competition for his position as Riccardo Calafiori is also a potential candidate for the left-back role.
In terms of other players on the injury list, Arsenal is still waiting for the return of key players such as Ben White, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Despite this, City remains a formidable opponent, especially after their recent run of four wins in their last five league games.
City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that Oscar Bobb is close to making his comeback after being out for a while. However, it is unlikely that he will be ready for the trip to Arsenal. On the other hand, Jeremy Doku will be absent for City, having missed their last three games. Additionally, star defender Ruben Dias is also sidelined, and there is no timeline for his return after limping off in their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. However, John Stones is available again after recovering from his recent injuries.
In their previous match against Chelsea, Abdukodir Khusanov had a tough debut, but Omar Marmoush showed promise in his debut against the Blues. It will be interesting to see if Marmoush can keep his spot in the starting lineup or if Khusanov will be given another chance.
As for the predicted lineups, Arsenal could potentially start with Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Martinelli, Havertz, and Trossard. On the other hand, City could line up with Ederson, Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol, Silva, Kovacic, de Bruyne, Foden, Haaland, and Marmoush.
For those looking to tune in to the game, it will kick off at 4:30 pm on Sunday, February 2nd. Live coverage will be available on Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Main Event, with a live stream on the Sky Go app and NOW TV. Alternatively, you can follow all the action on Metro's LIVE matchday blog.
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