Arsenal (a) preview

WE ARE BACK!!! International Break is done and we are back to normal. We head into the last stretch of the season, City continue this difficult fixture period with one of the hardest matches of the season. Arsenal away on Sunday, 4pm. It doesn't help having Chelsea away on Wednesday but with no more CL football, City's fixture list isn't a pile up so hopefully the team can use that to get a top 3 place and not have to qualify for the CL next term. However, I'll take 4th if needed. We need points now though. Southampton, Chelsea away coming up, Man Utd at home too and Arsenal away. Difficult.

I've no idea what is happening at Arsenal right now but they are 6th and lagging behind. They lose on Sunday and their season is done nearly. The top 4 will be miles off and their form isn't good enough to catch that up. The FA Cup may be Arsene Wenger's saving grace but they have City in the semi-final on the big Wembley pitch. Problems. I want the pressure and anxiety of Arsenal to help City through Sunday's match. Go ahead and early and watch how Arsenal respond. City need to play their normal game and add in some clinical finishing and they have enough to win this game. Arsenal are playing so poor of late, City don't need to alter their play. Nomrally, away at the Emirates, I would say sit and counter, but I think Arsenal will do that. If we can score first, all the pressure is on Arsenal. If Arsenal score first, I have a feeling they will win, they may just use this match as their season ending boost to serge up the table and win the FA Cup.

I want to see more from City, we didn't beat Liverpool and a draw on Sunday won't be a bad result but they teams below us are gaining points all the time so we need to too. If we find ourselves in the top 4 after Southampton away, I'd be delighted. So we need points. Lucky, all the squad returns safe from international duty. That will alter the side a little. Aguero will start, Otamendi too I reckon but I think Fernandinho may be left out to rest. Yaya Toure, Silva and KDB will make up the midfield although Kevin did get a knock, if so, Ferna in and Yaya pushed up. I see no reason to not play Zaba at RB. Ferna looked ok there against Liverpool but I want Zaba to have a chance. Stones should just start, Caballero too. Pick between saint Kolarov and Clichy, they're both not great options at LB. I won't have a problem with Ferna playing there if needed. I worry for the wing backs though. We are up against Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobe and Sanchez. They're all quick and very quick at that. They can rip our team apart so Sane and Sterling need to sit back and sit tight. Aguero too. De Bruyne and Silva need to be on top of their game. Involve them as much as possible and hit Arsenal with pace. We will get chances on Sunday, but not many. 2 or 3 need to go if we want to win this one. Pep will know what he is doing though, I hope. He's played Arsenal away a few times in his career and doesn't have the best records there. Hopefully he has watched the first meeting he had as City manager against Arsenal. Match the power, pace and accuracy. We won't win unless they are all at 100% and the team play as that, a team.

Score prediction is 3-1 City, Aguero to score first.

Team prediction -

Caballero-Zabaleta-Stones-Otamendi-Clichy-Toure-De Bruyne-Silva-Sterling-Sane-Aguero.