Manchester City can move within three points of Arsenal with a win at the Emirates on Sunday in what is set to be a titanic tussle between two Premier League giants.

This fixture has been a title decider in recent seasons but City's chances of securing a fifth straight Premier League crown are all but over after a calamitous run of form at the tail end of last year.

They have recovered somewhat and victory over Chelsea in their last league fixture moved them into the top four. Pep Guardiola's side have since progressed into the Champions League play-off round where they will meet Real Madrid later this month.

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The trip to Arsenal kicks off a frantic February of colossal fixtures with City facing Newcastle, Liverpool, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in their next four league matches following the Emirates encounter.

Guardiola will have to juggle his squad for seven games across three competitions and his biggest call on Sunday will be at centre back. With Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake still sidelined, Guardiola must choose between Abdukodir Khusanov and John Stones. The latter has struggled for fitness this season but played in the win over Club Brugge while Khusanov endured a tough debut against Chelsea last time out. With a week off and an FA Cup tie at third tier opposition to come, it feels like experience over potential is the way forward.

Manuel Akanji is a certain starter while Josko Gvardiol has impressed in recent showings. Matheus Nunes looks set to continue at right back over Rico Lewis despite the Portugal international looking out of place at times.

In midfield, Mateo Kovacic will anchor the side and Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne can provide the necessary mix of calm and creativity. Savinho's midweek heroics surely earn him a start and that means Omar Marmoush, who caught the eye on debut, misses out with Phil Foden and Erling Haaland completing the XI.

City predicted XI: Ederson; Nunes, Stones, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Bernardo, De Bruyne; Foden, Haaland, Savinho