Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City LIVE! Premier League result, match stream, latest reaction and updates today

Arsenal vs Manchester City - LIVE!

Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League for the first time since August as they beat Arsenal 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium. There was a huge amount of anticipation leading into the match, as the two best sides in the country went head-to-head in the first of two League games that will go a long way to deciding where the title ends up this season.

Kevin De Bruyne put the visitors in front with a sensational finish after an error from Takehiro Tomiyasu, but Arsenal came roaring back and found a deserved equaliser before the break as Bukayo Saka scored from the spot.

City showed their class after the break though, landing a huge blow in the title race. Jack Grealish restored their lead before Erling Haaland scored his 26th League goal of the season to put the result beyond doubt.

Arsenal vs Man City latest news

• GOAL! Haaland puts City in complete control

• GOAL! Grealish restores City’s lead

• NO PENALTY! VAR denies City

• GOAL! Saka equalises from the penalty spot

• GOAL! De Bruyne puts City in front

Arsenal FC 1 - 3 Manchester City FC

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22:57 , Matt Verri

Manchester City are the new Premier League leaders and Arsenal only have themselves to blame.

For large parts of this game, Mikel Arteta’s side went toe-to-toe with City but in the end individual errors cost them dear.

They gifted City two of their three goals in this 3-1 win and you simply can’t do that against the reigning champions.

Pep Guardiola’s side are now back top of the table by virtue of goal difference. Arsenal have a game in hand, but the momentum in this title race is most certainly with City.

It could so easily have been with Mikel Arteta’s side, though, as they held their own for a lot of this match.

Read Simon Collings’ full analysis here

How it stands...

22:34 , Matt Verri

Odegaard: We have to be better

22:28 , Matt Verri

“The game is decided in the boxes and we were not sharp enough, in front of the goal and in our own as well,” he told Prime Video Sport after the match.

“Apart from that, we played a good game, did many good things and had many good periods, but we have to be better in the boxes.

“It is football. Sometimes chances go in, sometimes not. But that is where we need to improve and be more clinical and defend our box. That is not just about one player, but the whole team.

“As we have said all season, work hard and take it game by game. It is the same now. It is one game we have lost here today and now we look to the next one. A new game on Saturday and we must come back and win.”

Kroenke Jr in town...

22:22 , Matt Verri

Grealish: Arsenal the better team

22:16 , Matt Verri

“If I’m being honest, I don’t think we actually played that well.

“I think Arsenal played a lot better than us, I thought they were the better team. I think so.

“They had a few chances - I don’t know if it was a penalty, I haven’t really seen it back yet.

“If you win titles, you’ve got to come to grounds like this. Even when you’re not at your best, you’ve got to win games. That’s what me and Riyad [Mahrez] said to each other on the bench.”

Arteta: We gave them the goals

22:03 , Matt Verri

“We lost it. It was an incredible battle against two team. We gave them the goals. We had three big chances but didn’t put them away, and that was the difference.

“To beat them we have to be over our level because they are such a good team. We had them in big moments, but in the big moments they were better than us.

“We were really imprecise, we put ourselves in trouble. In certain areas of the pitch we overplayed, we got punished.”

Reaction from Guardiola

22:00 , Matt Verri

“Now we are top of the league but they have one game in hand. We have a lot of games to play.

“The first half they were much better than us, the second we were much, much better. We were not playing, we were defending because they were so good.

“In the first half, my tactics, I tried something new and it was horrible! We adjusted in the second half and we were more aggressive.”

Haaland’s post-match thoughts

21:52 , Matt Verri

“The boys and the whole club are the champions. We are good quality players and we had to get it out. I’m so proud of everyone, I’m so happy to be here

“Arsenal has been the best team this season, so to come here and play against them is not easy.

“It is almost 20 minutes since I last scored a goal so I will keep on working! I will do my best and will make sure everyone else will do their best.”

Player ratings

21:43 , Matt Verri

Takehiro Tomiyasu 4

Made the mistake for the City’s opening goal, under-hitting a back pass to Ramsdale and struggled against Grealish all game. Missed a fine chance to make amends minutes by volleying over in the first half.

Gabriel 4

Conceded a blatant penalty for dragging down Haaland but lucky the decision was overruled for a fractional offside. Gave away the ball in the build up to City’s second goal and static for their third.

Read our full Arsenal player ratings here

Simon Collings at the Emirates

21:38 , Matt Verri

A painful night for Arsenal as Manchester City go top of the Premier League. The Gunners undone by two individual errors, which gave City two of their goals.

First-half was impressive, but Arsenal failed to kick on after the break.

The goal that sealed it...

21:31 , Matt Verri

FT: Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City

21:28 , Matt Verri

Manchester City are top of the Premier League!

On goal difference, and having played a game more than Arsenal, but that’s a big blow to the Gunners.

21:25 , Matt Verri

90+2 mins: Five minutes added on.

Trossard looks to put a ball into the box, almost turns into a perfect shot. Just flies over the bar though.

21:22 , Matt Verri

89 mins: Plenty of the ball for the Gunners, but not doing anything with it.

Saka cuts inside and fires a ball into the box, Nketiah with a big chance but he heads wide. That really should have gone at target at least.

21:21 , Matt Verri

88 mins: De Bruyne off, Phillips on. City seeing this out.

For the first time the Arsenal fans are pretty flat now. They know this one is out, City going back to the top of the table for the first time since August.

21:18 , Matt Verri

85 mins: Jorginho slides the ball throught to Odegaard, who cuts it back into the box.

Nketiah lurking, but Rodri is there to boot it away. Haaland holds the ball up, he’s come alive in the second-half. Right up for the fight.

21:17 , Matt Verri

84 mins: White and Vieira are on for Arsenal, Tomiyasu and Xhaka making way.

Still ten minutes at least to go, but Arsenal need two goals from somewhere. They’ve found it much more difficult since the break.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-3 Manchester City | Erling Haaland 82'

21:15 , Matt Verri

THAT SEALS IT!

Ball falls for Haaland in the corner and he hammers it into the bottom corner. All came from a brilliant De Bruyne run.

21:12 , Matt Verri

79 mins: No penalty!

Trossard flicks the ball past Walker, who has gone lunging in inside the box. Referee waves it away.

Not a huge amount of contact, and Trossard wasn’t complaining too much.

21:10 , Matt Verri

77 mins: Another City change too, Grealish limps off and he’s replaced by Foden. Decent change to be able to make.

Walker once again taking his sweet time over throw-ins. With the VAR checks we’ve had, got to imagine we’re looking at six or seven minutes added on.

21:08 , Matt Verri

75 mins: Xhaka in space on the edge of the box, Martinelli to his left.

Caught in about ten minds, sits Dias down and then runs straight into him. Real waste.

And here is Trossard, on to replace Martinelli.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

21:06 , Matt Verri

Grealish’s finish took the slightest of nicks of Tomiyasu which might have taken it away from Ramsdale’s hand.

Still, it has been coming, with Arsenal looking increasingly jittery at the back in the last 15 minutes.

21:06 , Matt Verri

That strike took a slight deflection off Tomiyasu, and Ramsdale couldn’t react.

Arsenal with 20 minutes to get something from this match. Trossard to come on shortly?

GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Manchester City | Jack Grealish 72'

21:05 , Matt Verri

The Gunners are struggling to keep hold of the ball, a couple of really sloppy passes.

And here’s another one, Haaland there to take advantage. Plays it inside to Gundogan, he lets it run for Grealish.

AND HE FIRES INTO THE BOTTOM CORNER! CITY LEAD.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

21:02 , Matt Verri

The game has got a real chaotic feel to it now. No one has control and it’s all getting so cagey.

Arsenal need some control. This is playing into City’s hands.

21:02 , Matt Verri

68 mins: OFF THE LINE!

Rodri heads at goal from the free-kick, Ramsdale parries it out. Falls for Akanji, gets the shot away and it’s cleared away off the line.

Arsenal just about survive. Zinchenko then gives it away in his own box, Haaland is in... Ramsdale denies him! Chaos.

21:00 , Matt Verri

67 mins: Saka charges back to help his defence, as Grealish runs with the ball. Arsenal man gives him a shove, he thinks it’s shoulder-to-shoulder but free-kick given.

Once again the crowd are up in disbelief.

20:59 , Matt Verri

66 mins: INCHES AWAY!

Superb from Arsenal, they cut City open as Odegaard slides the ball through to Tomiyasu on the overlap.

He fires the ball across the face of goal, Nketiah flying in at the back post but he can’t quite reach it on the slide. Any contact and it’s a goal.

20:57 , Matt Verri

64 mins: Frustration on both sides, tackles flying in. Feels like another flashpoint is coming.

Here’s another card, as Nketiah goes in on Dias. Catches him a bit late, blue shirts were flying at the referee there in protest.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

20:54 , Matt Verri

The correct call by the VAR but a tough break for City.

Haaland came back towards the ball before spinning Gabriel and being hauled down so he gained no advantage by being fractionally offside when the pass was played.

20:54 , Matt Verri

61 mins: Haaland bundles into Gabriel again, caught him with an elbow in the back of the neck. Didn’t look to be hugely accidental.

Anyway, first change of the night. Mahrez off and Akanji is on, Silva finally freed from his left-back service.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

20:53 , Matt Verri

A huge break for Arsenal and the cheer that decision gets is as loud as a goal. Gabriel is a lucky man.

NO PENALTY!

20:52 , Matt Verri

It’s offside!

Took their time but eventually we get to the right decision. And Gabriel’s yellow card is wiped away too.

20:51 , Matt Verri

Haaland looks to be standing just beyond Gabriel when the ball was initially played. Think this will be overturned.

VAR taking all the time in the world, don’t want to get this wrong...

20:50 , Matt Verri

Is it offside though? VAR will check, hopefully looking at the right thing this time.

Haaland could well be offside here.

PENALTY MAN CITY!

20:50 , Matt Verri

WOW.

Ball over the top, Gabriel pulling Haaland back and the referee points to the spot! Very clumsy.

Yellow card for Gabriel too, who is absolutely furious.

20:49 , Matt Verri

56 mins: Nketiah charges up to close Ederson down, City goalkeeper sends a pass straight out of play.

Arsenal take the throw-in quickly, Jorginho whips a low cross into the box but Nketiah can’t quite get there. Ederson claims.

Grealish driving into space at the other end, looks to find Mahrez and instead finds a ballboy. Terrible pass.

20:47 , Matt Verri

53 mins: Real edge to this match, Odegaard now unahppy as Silva pulls his shirt back. Nothing given.

Zinchenko harrying Mahrez all the way back into the City half, nobody getting a second on the ball.

20:45 , Matt Verri

51 mins: Lovely football from Arsenal, play their way out of trouble and all the way out to the left wing. Martinelli driving at Dias, finds Zinchenko.

Good defending from Mahrez, tracks back and puts in the tackle to win the ball back.

And now Arteta and De Bruyne clash! Arteta flicked the ball away as the Belgian came to take it, and De Bruyne shoves him. Crowd enjoyed that.

20:42 , Matt Verri

49 mins: Grealish all of a sudden with renewed interest in running at Tomiyasu, who has to be very careful now.

Silva digs out a cross, headed out but Arsenal are being pinned back here. Good start to the half from City.

20:41 , Matt Verri

48 mins: Low-key start to the half... nothing has happened.

Here’s something at least. Tomiyasu has picked up possibly the softest yellow card you’ll ever see, walked too far forward as he prepared to take the throw-in.

Very strange.

Back underway!

20:37 , Matt Verri

Here we go again - second-half up and running!

Simon Collings at the Emirates

20:34 , Matt Verri

An entertaining game and Arsenal have responded well after going behind following De Bruyne’s opener. Saka been bright and got the goal he deserved.

Jorginho also had a solid half in absence of Partey. All so finely balanced - huge half to come.

20:30 , Matt Verri

Jorginho is a very, very good penalty taker.

But Saka is Arsenal’s man and he showed why, keeping his nerve after a long delay to send Ederson the wrong way.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

20:26 , Matt Verri

City have been surprisingly route one in this half but it’s been effective, notably for the goal.

It’s Arsenal with the lion’s share of possession and playing the more measured passing game at the interval. How many sides can say that against City?

20:24 , Matt Verri

It was an even start at the Emirates, but City only needed one opportunity.

Poor pass from Tomiyasu, Ramsdale off his line and De Bruyne did the rest. Special finish.

HT: Arsenal 1-1 Man City

20:22 , Matt Verri

A brilliant 45 minutes at the Emirates.

City took the lead, De Bruyne ruthless in taking advantage of Tomiyasu’s disastrous backpass.

Superb response from Arsenal though and they deservedly found an equaliser, as Saka kept his nerve from the spot.

Game. On.

20:21 , Matt Verri

45+5 mins: Haaland holds up the long ball forward, and he wins a free-kick as Saliba gets a bit too tight. Safe to say Arteta does not agree with that decision.

Mahrez whips it in... OFF THE BAR! Ake diverts it at goal but he’s denied by the woodwork!

20:18 , Matt Verri

45+2 mins: At the fourth time of asking, Silva earns himself a yellow card. Saka breaking away down the right, knocks it past the City man and he’s brought down.

It’s been coming for about 35 minutes, but Silva does now join Walker and Ederson in the book.

20:16 , Matt Verri

45 mins: Six minutes added on!

Plenty more fun to come. Jorginho trips Mahrez, clumsy challenge in midfield. Up come the City centre-backs.

20:15 , Matt Verri

44 mins: Walker still taking a fair old while over throw-ins, no sign of City stepping up the pace. They’d be happy enough to get to half-time level now.

Nearly better than that! Sharp save from Ramsdale at his near post, after Haaland had an effort blocked.

Offside flag up, wouldn’t have counted.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

20:13 , Matt Verri

Saka had to wait a long time to take that. City players were going back and forth to Ederson, giving him advice and geeing him up.

Saka kept his cool, though.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City | Bukayo Saka 42'

20:12 , Matt Verri

SAKA MAKES NO MISTAKE!

Had an age to think about it, but Saka keeps his nerve to send Ederson the wrong way!

It’s all square at the Emirates.

PENALTY ARSENAL!

20:10 , Matt Verri

Xhaka clips a ball over the top, Nketiah beats Ederson to the ball... cleared off the line!

But Ederson has taken Nketiah out as he flew off his line, penalty!

No second yellow given...

20:09 , Matt Verri

38 mins: Jorginho gets a foot in to stop a City counter, he’s had a pretty decent full debut so far.

Arsenal flying forward in numbers to press the City defenders, but those blue shirts are so good at passing their way out of trouble. Never even in a hint of doubt.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

20:07 , Matt Verri

Things I didn’t expect would happen tonight: a City played booked for timewasting in the first half.

It’s Ederson in the book after dithering over one set-piece too many.

20:05 , Matt Verri

34 mins: Here is the first yellow card of the match, and it goes to Walker. Looks like it might have been for coming back onto the pitch too early after his treatment.

City have sat back since taking the lead and it’s definitely given Arsenal a lift.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

20:03 , Matt Verri

Break in play as Kyle Walker gets treatment.

Tomiyasu goes for a drink and Arteta has a word with him, before ruffling his hair.

20:03 , Matt Verri

32 mins: Atmosphere getting better and better as frustrations grow in the stands.

Martinelli gives Walker a nudge in the air and that will be a free-kick. Correct decision from Anthony Taylor, even if the Arsenal fans don’t like it at all.

20:01 , Matt Verri

30 mins: Glorious Arsenal move, Odegaard slides it wide to Saka. He’s in on goal, takes way too long to get a shot away though as Ake slides in... chance goes. Arteta not impressed on the touchline.

Another goal kick for City, Ederson taking an age. Referee calls captain Gundogan over for a word this time.

19:58 , Matt Verri

28 mins: That would been some response!

Cross deflected and loops up to Tomiyasu, running onto it 12 yards out but he volleys it well over the bar. Didn’t ever look comfortable with that.

Referee already warning Ederson about time wasting with the goal kick.

19:57 , Matt Verri

27 mins: Silva brings Saka down yet again, the Arsenal man lets the referee know it’s the third foul. Yellow card isn’t coming out though.

Arsenal have got to keep getting the ball to Saka, Silva in huge problems whenever he’s one-on-one with the Englishman.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

19:56 , Matt Verri

What a finish that is from De Bruyne! He made it look so easy but he took the ball on the run with his wrong foot and bent it over Ramsdale and inside the near post. Stunning.

GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City | Kevin De Bruyne 24'

19:54 , Matt Verri

CITY TAKE THE LEAD!

Arsenal have absolutely gifted City the opening goal. Awful backpass from Tomiyasu, De Bruyne pounces with Ramsdale out of position and he lifts the shot into the empty net.

19:53 , Matt Verri

23 mins: Arsenal on the charge now, fans are up after that Nketiah chance.

Martinelli swings the corner in, Gabriel down in the middle but not getting anything for that. Odegaard then slaps a shot into the mass of bodies.

19:52 , Matt Verri

22 mins: Martinelli has Xhaka free on the overlap, slides it wide to him. Cross in is cleared away.

Comes back to Zinchenko, sensational cross and Nketiah is free in the middle... MASSIVE CHANCE!

Wow. He had to score really. Heads it wide, Ederson was getting nowhere near that.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

19:50 , Matt Verri

A scare for Arsenal there after Ramsdale went down. He seems okay for now and has indicated as much to the bench.

Matt Turner, the back-up goalkeeper, is not warming up - which is a good sign.

19:48 , Matt Verri

18 mins: Turner briefly warming up on the touchline, as Ramsdale goes down and takes his boot off. Heel looks to be the problem.

Gives Arteta the chance to call all of his players over for a quick team talk, never one to miss out on an opportunity.

Ramsdale is back up and looks fine to continue. Huge cheers as Haaland drives forward and is swiftly halted by a strong challenge from Zinchenko.

19:46 , Matt Verri

16 mins: Brilliant from Zinchenko to dance away from the challenges, Jorginho passes it straight to a blue shirt though.

City counter through Mahrez, cuts inside onto that left foot and whips a cross to the back post. Haaland is there, can’t direct the effort at goal. That’s a very decent chance.

Dan Kilpatrick at the Emirates

19:44 , Matt Verri

Bernardo Silva is dropping to left-back when City are out of possession, where he is up against Bukayo Saka. Madness or genius from Pep Guardiola?

Arsenal, meanwhile, have a brilliant left-back in Oleksandr Zinchenko...sold to them by City in the summer.

19:43 , Matt Verri

13 mins: Arsenal fans screaming for a penalty, whistle goes... for a free-kick to Man City.

Certainly no penalty, cross comes in and Ake dives low to head it away. Referee has penalised Nketiah for a high boot, but Ake was pretty much at ankle level.

19:42 , Matt Verri

11 mins: No chances yet for either side, but there’s a real intensity to the match.

Gabriel under real pressure at the back, finds Zinchenko though and Arsenal are away down the left. Loose pass though and the chance goes.

Arsenal win it back, Jorginho has space to drive into. Slides it through to Nketiah, his shot is blocked by Dias.

19:39 , Matt Verri

9 mins: Arsenal getting time on the ball at the back, City happy enough to let Saliba and Gabriel have it.

Silva up against Saka already looks a real mismatch, he slides in again and this time a free-kick is given. He cannot deal with Saka in the early stages.

19:38 , Matt Verri

7 mins: Haaland bulldozes his way through Gabriel and Zinchenko, slides the ball through to Mahrez. His cut back is intercepted by Jorginho, well-read in his own box.

Arsenal then went a free-kick, as Silva goes in on Saka. Played waved on, and City win a corner. Arteta absolutely furious and he has a case judging by the replays.

Corner comes to nothing, which is a relief for Arteta’s health.

19:35 , Matt Verri

5 mins: Dias catches Nketiah late, that will be a free-kick. Clumsy at best. Decent position for Odegaard to put something into the box here.

Such a high line from City, and Arsenal can’t find a way past as De Bruyne heads away. Back to Odegaard and he slices the second cross straight out of play. Not his best.

Simon Collings at the Emirates

19:33 , Matt Verri

One minute in and, as Xhaka fires over the bar. Odegaard turns to the crowd and waves his hand, calling for more noise.

19:32 , Matt Verri

2 mins: Sharp start from Arsenal, Nketiah having an effort blocked before Xhaka hammers a strike over the bar.

Silva looks to be floating around the left-back position - Saka has got to fancy his chances tonight if that remains the case.

KICK-OFF!

19:30 , Matt Verri

Underway in north London - massive 90 minutes coming up!

Here we go!

19:27 , Matt Verri

Teams are out, brilliant atmosphere at the Emirates as you’d expect.

A couple of tame displays recently from the Arsenal, but they’ve got to be fired up given the circumstances here!

Simon Collings at the Emirates

19:26 , Matt Verri

A pre-match light show is under way here to get the crowd in the mood. Beers have been half price in the bar for a few hours too. Every little helps.

Not long now!

19:22 , Matt Verri

Players will be in the tunnel very shortly.

Reminder of what’s at stake tonight: Arsenal will go six points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand if they beat City, but Pep Guardiola’s side will go top themselves with victory.

Big stakes!

Arteta’s pre-match thoughts

19:19 , Matt Verri

“Enthusiasm, energy and looking forward to it. When we’re kids we want to be involved in these kind of games.

“We have to rotate and put players in that can give us different things in games, attacking and defending.

“We have created a lot of chances and dominated games for big periods so it’s about putting chances away. We must find belief.”

Where it will be won and lost...

19:14 , Matt Verri

Haaland v Saliba

Fresh from going 12 rounds with Ivan Toney, now William Saliba must dust himself down and face Erling Haaland. Saliba has excelled during his first full season in England, but he struggled with Toney’s physicality.

Haaland poses a similar threat and the key will be Saliba receiving support, both from right-back Ben White and fellow centre-back Gabriel. The Frenchman is hungry to win the ball high up, but may be wise in dropping off Haaland.

Read Simon Collings’ full tactical preview here

Rallying cry from Arteta

19:10 , Matt Verri

Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal fans to turn the Emirates Stadium into one of the most intimidating grounds in the Premier League to give his side an edge in the title race.

Arsenal are unbeaten at home in the League this season and can pull six points clear of City with a win tonight.

Arteta believes a good home record will be imperative to the Gunners winning their first title since 2004 and has asked supporters to greet City into a cauldron of noise.

“For me that is one of the things you have to have if you want to be challenging for big, big trophies,” he said.

“Your home record, and your place has to be somewhere people don’t want to come. The atmosphere we are generating at the Emirates is incredible. The players are talking about it, and it makes it very special to be part of it.”

Pre-match thoughts from Guardiola

19:03 , Matt Verri

Exclusive Odegaard interview

18:58 , Matt Verri

The first month after the Premier League’s winter break was billed as exam season for Arsenal, the unexpected Christmas leaders, momentum checked by half-term, facing a fixture list littered with proverbial Big Tests.

And so it is both alarming and, in hindsight, somewhat amusing to learn how close their captain, Martin Odegaard, came to missing the most important of them with what might, on a schoolboy’s sick-note, have been termed a dicky tummy.

“I started to feel a bit ill in the evening, just after dinner,” Odegaard tells Standard Sport, of the night before last month’s critical north London derby. “Then I started throwing up, I did all night. I was a bit scared because when I first woke up in the morning - well, I didn’t really sleep much - I didn’t feel good.”

Read Malik Ouzia’s interview here

Simon Collings at the Emirates

18:51 , Matt Verri

Henry: I want Saka to play well

18:45 , Matt Verri

Thierry Henry wants Bukayo Saka to step up tonight and be the difference for Arsenal, as he praised the Gunners star for his response to missing a penalty for England in the Euro 2020 final.

”The way he came back from the Euros, missing that penalty, he never looked back since,” Henry told Prime Video Sport.

“I just want the team to win and all of that, but I want him to play well in that game, to play well up until the end of the season, and to be the player that can decide games.”

Two changes for Gunners as Haaland starts

18:39 , Matt Verri

Partey does indeed miss out for Arsenal as expected, with Jorginho coming in to make his first start for the club. White also drops out of the side, named on the bench as Tomiyasu starts at right-back.

Otherwise it’s as expected from Arsenal, with Martinelli keeping his place and Trossard among the substitutes.

As for Man City, Haaland is fit to lead the line and Grealish and Mahrez are the two either side of him.

Ake comes in for Laporte, but it looks like it could be that hybrid system for City that they used against Aston Villa at the weekend. That would see Silva potentially filling in at left-back, up against Saka.

Arsenal team news

18:32 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli

Subs: Tierney, White, Kiwior, Holding, Trossard, Vieira, Nelson, Turner, Cozier-Duberry

Man City team news

18:31 , Matt Verri

Starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Phillips, Laporte, Alvarez, Gomez, Akanji, Foden, Palmer, Lewis

More drama to come?

18:23 , Matt Verri

Arsenal were brilliant last time they played Man City at the Emirates, though had nothing to show for it.

Rodri struck in the final seconds as the visitors came from behind to take all three points - another win in north London tonight and they’ll go to the top of the table.

Look who has arrived!

18:13 , Matt Verri

Thomas Partey not expected to be involved tonight, after picking up an injury.

He has though just strolled in with washbag in hand on his way to the dressing room. Interesting...

All the team news coming up in 15 minutes.

Last time they met...

18:09 , Matt Verri

This is the first of two crucial Premier League matches between these two sides, but they have already met this season. Recently too.

Arsenal travelled to the Etihad at the end of last month to face Man City in the FA Cup, with Nathan Ake’s goal settling a tight encounter.

It wasn’t a particularly great game that night - expect a very different encounter this time!

Arteta takes aim at Mason after VAR howler

18:02 , Matt Verri

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal were left with “huge anger and disappointment” after Brentford’s controversial equaliser on Saturday as has lambasted VAR official Lee Mason for not understanding his job.

Ivan Toney’s goal led to the game finishing 1-1, but it has since been revealed Mason missed the offside call as he did not draw the correct lines.

”Huge anger and disappointment because that wasn’t a human error, that was a big, big, big, not understanding your job and that is not acceptable. I am sorry,” said Arteta.

“That cost Arsenal two points and that’s not going to be restored. So we are going to have to find those two points somewhere else in the League.

“That certainly has made the players, the staff and the fans even stronger and with more desire to pass this hurdle that they put on us. So we are ready for it.

He added: “That was something else. I wasn’t having it, the club wasn’t having it and I think it’s clear - the consequences of what happened. I will only be satisfied if they give us the two points back, which is not going to be the case.”

Brooks not involved tonight

17:55 , Matt Verri

Vdeo Assistant Referee John Brooks was stood down earlier this week after his error over the weekend.

Brooks was on VAR duty for Saturday’s game between Brighton and Crystal Palace, where the Seagulls were incorrectly denied a goal after the wrong player was used when drawing lines to check an offside. He was supposed to be at Stockley Park tonight, but has been replaced by David Coote.

Brooks’ blunder was one of two high-profile mistakes this weekend, with Brentford’s equaliser in their draw with Arsenal wrongly allowed to stand after VAR Lee Mason failed to properly check for offside against Christian Norgaard in the build-up.

More on that to come in a minute...

Biggest match of the Emirates era

17:49 , Matt Verri

The stakes could not be higher at ­Emirates Stadium tonight, writes Simon Collings.

Victory for Arsenal will move them six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand. Defeat will mean their title rivals move above them for the first time since August and shift momentum towards the team from the Etihad.

Arsenal have a miserable record against City, losing their past 10 Premier League games against them. Their last win in a League meeting came in 2015, when Arteta was still playing.

As a manager, Arteta has suffered at the hands of Pep Guardiola. The two friends have faced each other eight times, and seven times Arteta has lost, with his solitary win coming in an FA Cup semi-final in 2020.

Now would be the perfect time for the apprentice to get one over on his master.

Read our full preview here!

Guardiola apologises to Gerrard

17:41 , Matt Verri

It hasn’t just been Arsenal chat for Pep Guardiola in recent days, with the Man City boss stating he was “ashamed” by comments he made about Steven Gerrard.

During his press conference last Friday, which was City’s first since the Premier League charged them with over 100 breaches of their financial rules, Guardiola referenced Gerrard’s slip in the 2013/14 season, as Liverpool fell just short in the title race.

Guardiola reflected yesterday: “I apologise to Steven Gerrard for my unnecessary and stupid comments I said the last time about him.

“I’m ashamed of myself, what I said, because he doesn’t deserve it. I didn’t represent my club well putting his name in these stupid comments.

“So, I apologise and I said it to him personally. But like I comment publicly, I have to do it (apologise) here as well. So I am so sorry to him, his wife, kids, family, because it was stupid.”

Henry: It’s City vs City

17:35 , Matt Verri

Thierry Henry believes Arsenal are capable of coming out on top tonight, though the Gunners legend has warned that the recent FA Cup match between the two sides is important.

“I know we lost in the Cup recently, so that will have an impact,” Henry told Prime Video Sport. “People think that it doesn’t have an impact, it does have an impact when you struggle to beat a team.

“For me it’s City versus City, tactically, because Mikel does a lot of what Pep does in terms of bringing the full backs inside, having that two-three-five shape off the ball to make sure that you can stay and put pressure in the opponent’s half.

“And you saw in the Cup that Arsenal could do that to City at City, that doesn’t happen often. So can we beat City? Yes, I think that we can beat City.”

Montage time...

17:27 , Matt Verri

Massive game, so we can expect a few hundred montages over the next couple of hours.

Arsenal fans, here’s the first one to kick you off. The atmosphere at the Emirates has been sensational all season, got to imagine it will go up another level tonight.

Click here to read the full blog on The Evening Standard's website