Boost for Arsenal as key Man City star will miss the game

TL;DR

Arsenal receives a boost as a key Manchester City player will miss their upcoming match. This game follows Arsenal's recent qualification for the Champions League semi-finals.

Key points

Arsenal faces Manchester City this weekend.
Arsenal recently qualified for the Champions League semi-finals.
Manchester City has had a free week to prepare.

ArsenalManchester City

Boost for Arsenal as key Man City star will miss the game

Arsenal have been handed a boost ahead of their match against Manchester City this weekend, a fixture that arrives only a few days after the Gunners secured qualification for the Champions League semi-final. Confidence within the squad is likely to be high following that achievement, although attention must now quickly turn back to domestic matters.

Manchester City, by contrast, have had a free week to prepare after already being eliminated from Europe. That additional recovery and preparation time could prove valuable as they look to claim all three points in a contest with major implications.

Defensive Absence For City

Arsenal will know there can be few excuses if they fail to deliver in such an important match. However, they will be encouraged by reports that one of City’s key players is expected to miss the game.

According to Metro Sport, Ruben Dias is now set to be unavailable after suffering an injury that will keep him out of action for a period of time. The Portugal international had reportedly hoped to recover in time for the fixture, but the report states that the match has come too soon for him.

Important Player Missing

Dias is widely regarded as one of Manchester City’s most influential players, particularly because of his leadership and defensive presence. If fully fit, he would almost certainly have been selected for a match of this significance.