Manchester City, who have enjoyed an incredible start to the season, will take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in an attempt to extend their winning streak. The Gunners are keen to unseat Pep Guardiola’s team despite only being two points behind them.
Prior to this much awaited match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made an interesting comment on a crucial City player and his potential participation on Sunday.
Mikel Arteta discusses the likelihood that Kevin De Bruyne won’t play in Man City vs. Arsenal.
Following his observation of Kevin De Bruyne’s limping off during City’s match against Inter Milan during the week, Mikel Arteta was questioned in a recent press conference (via Arsenal) on if his team would benefit from the midfielder’s probable absence on Sunday.
In response, Arteta said, “No, because they have world-class players like [Ilkay] Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and Mateo Kovacic if he doesn’t play. We will also need to adjust because certain guys are missing. The fact that teams like City don’t depend on just one player is essential to them.
Pep Guardiola stated in his Friday briefing that although De Bruyne had informed him he was feeling better, a decision over his participation against Arsenal was still waiting.
De Bruyne, who has started every City league game this season, leads the division in crucial passes (16) and shot-creating moves (28), demonstrating the potential damage if he is sidelined on Sunday. However, Arteta feels City’s depth means they can still perform at a top level even without its Belgian star.
