Manchester City host Arsenal in a Premier League title-race defining match at the Etihad on Sunday – but key players are facing a race to be fit in time for the contest.
With Arsenal leading Liverpool at the top of the standings on goal difference and City just a point further back, the game between City and Arsenal is a hotly-anticipated and crucial contest.
However, coming off the back of an international break, there is selection uncertainty on both sides.
Pep Guardiola may indeed have some reshuffling to do on Sunday, but will be grateful to call upon the services of goalkeeper Ederson, who is likely to return after missing City’s FA Cup win over Newcastle before the international break.
Further up the pitch, Guardiola will hope it is a more positive picture, with Erling Haaland able to play twice for Norway after giving his club a scare when he was seen limping in training at the start of the break. City team-mate Oscar Bobb also played in those games and scored against Czech Republic.
After a poor run of form will Erling Haaland be able to score against Arsenal and William Saliba.
City’s other standout star, Kevin De Bruyne, is also likely to be back. He wasn’t called up by Belgium but could return after a fortnight of recovery, having sat out of City’s FA Cup action.
Argentina’s Julian Alvarez played Costa Rica in Los Angeles in the early hours of Wednesday morning so will have a delayed return to City training, while Matheus Nunes, who was on the scoresheet for Portugal against Sweden, missed their second game with suggestions he had hurt his ankle.
How do Arsenal look?
Arsenal have key men needing to prove their fitness before heading to City. Bukayo Saka withdrew from the England squad as a precaution at the end of last week with a minor muscle problem in his hamstring. It will be hoped he can get back into shape for Sunday.
Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes was also withdrawn from his national team squad as a precaution, with inflammation in the Brazilian’s Achilles a concern.
Gabriel Magalhaes withdrew from the Brazil squad
Gabriel Martinelli also missed out on playing for Brazil with the cut on his foot he suffered at Sheffield United.
However, there was positive news during the break, with Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey featuring in a behind closed doors friendly so could be in contention.
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