Here we go- it’s the blockbuster fixture of the Premier League’s opening weekend. The headliner clash from curtain raising weekend features the reigning league champions Manchester City venturing south to take on Arsenal FC, who begin the rebuilding process under new manager Unai Emery.
Let’s take a look at who Emery could select in his first team, and then also the potential lineup we’ll see chosen by City manager Pep Guardiola. This clash should be a fun one to watch.
Injury and fitness report for both teams: go to this link
The Sports Bank’s Arsenal FC Starting XI Prediction
Mesut Ozil Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Granit Xhaka Lucas Torreira Aaron Ramsey
Ainsley Maitland-Niles Sokraitis Papastathopoulos Shokdran Mustafi Hector Bellerin
Petr Cech
Arsenal FC Season Preview: go to this link
Arsenal FC Summer Transfer Window Analysis, Grade: go to this link
Manchester City Season Preview: go to this link
City, heavily favored to repeat as champions, are looking at trying to take it up another notch this season- and join the elite of the elites in Europe. Just ask Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who labeled his side Rocky, and City Ivan Drago in his “Rocky IV” analogy. It’s an apt analogy, when you remember that City broke Premier League records for title winning margin, points and victories last season.
Manchester City Summer Transfer Window Analysis, Grade: go to this link
The Sports Bank’s Manchester City Starting XI Prediction
Sergio Aguero
Leroy Sane Ilkay Gundogan Bernando Silva Riyad Mahrez
Fernandinho
Benjamin Mendy Aymeric Laporte John Stones Kyle Walker
Ederson
The weekly manager press conference videos from yesterday are embedded below:
City boss Pep Guardiola:
Gunners boss Unai Emery
Odds via Betway: Arsenal FC 3/1, Draw 29/10, Man City 10/11
Prediction: Manchester City 4, Arsenal FC 3
Feel free to post your own City and/or Arsenal FC starting XI predictions, as well as your best guess as to what the final score will be. Enjoy the match!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud and YouTube. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to any and all of his.