Manchester: It is a pivotal day in the Premier League title race, with Arsenal travelling to Manchester City in a high‑stakes meeting between the top two teams.
A win for Arsenal would see the long‑time league leaders restore a nine‑point advantage, putting them in a strong position to claim their first English title since 2004.
A win for City would cut the gap to three points. City would also have a game in hand, away to second‑bottom Burnley on Wednesday. After that, both teams would have five matches remaining.
A draw would favour Arsenal, which would maintain a six‑point cushion at the top.
City enter the match at home and in stronger recent form, having won their last three games — a 2‑0 victory over Arsenal in the English League Cup final, a 4‑0 win against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter‑finals, and a 3‑0 league victory at Chelsea. They are also boosted by the presence of one of the league’s most exciting players, France playmaker Rayan Cherki.
Arsenal, by contrast, have lost three of their last five matches in all competitions as they stumble towards the end of a season that could still deliver Premier League and Champions League titles.
Earlier on Sunday, Everton host Liverpool in the Merseyside derby, while Aston Villa face Sunderland and Nottingham Forest take on Burnley.