Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas looks ahead to Wednesday's Premier League game between Man City and Arsenal at the Etihad, as Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta face off for the first time.
Charlie on...
The match
Manchester City have dropped off. At one stage after 30 minutes (in the Manchester derby defeat), I was looking at Pep Guardiola prowling on the touchline.
Every time he takes Kevin de Bruyne out, he seems to lose 25 per cent of performance. I know he is unbelievably good, but this is a team of real talent.
Raheem Sterling has hit a brick wall, while Sergio Aguero has been getting some goals but he has not been playing well. Bernardo Silva looks lost, and the full backs have been left out as he is getting nothing from them.
Arsenal are vulnerable. He has to go with Pablo Mari and Sokratis Papastathopoulos but it was another clean sheet nevertheless in the weekend win over West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has to concentrate on keeping the back door locked. He will go with a back five with two protecting in midfield. Alexandre Lacazette will remain out of the starting XI and he will put Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through the middle.
Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe may come in to play wider, but I think City will turn up and beat Arsenal, as they are too frail at the back.
Man City are handpicking the Champions League, it seems, and have their eyes set on winning that, but Arsenal cannot make it an open game otherwise City will pick them off.
If De Bruyne plays (latest on him here), I think City could win comfortably, but I hope he is rested again!
Guardiola v Arteta
Arteta knows the City situation inside out. It is alright knowing it, it is what you do about it to stop it.
What players do you have to handle De Bruyne? What players do you have to handle Sterling? They have frailties there and do not have the personnel.
He has to go with a back five and has to protect, in the hope City get frustrated and do not pick them off, before counter-attacking with Martinelli, Pepe and Aubameyang.
They are really quick, and City’s defence is vulnerable. Nicolas Otamendi is a liability, while Fernandinho is too slow. The full backs have pace but are not great going forward like they used to be.
Arteta has not been there long enough to put a City-style team together, but he will find out more about his players in this game rather than the others - see who wants the ball and do they have to play counter-attack or have to worry about the defence for the rest of the season?
The answer to the last one is yes, so I think it will be a fairly defensive side which he picks.
The score prediction:
Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal (9/1 with Sky Bet)
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