Mikel Arteta vows Arsenal will play to win against Man City

Saka’s absence has coincided with a concerning dip in form for the north London club, who have secured just one victory in their last five outings.

Last weekend’s defeat by Bournemouth has seemingly shifted momentum towards City, who capitalised on their rivals’ home loss with a commanding 3-0 win at Chelsea.

The fixture is being widely billed as one of the most significant in recent Premier League history. Guardiola had previously suggested that City’s championship aspirations would be over if they were to lose to Arsenal.

Responding to these comments, Arteta offered a pragmatic view: "There are six games to go. It’s a really important one for both teams, and it (a win for Arsenal) will incline the balance a little bit. I mean winning at this stage you are a bit closer.

“If we win the first game in the semi-final of the Champions League we’re going to be closer. That’s why it is clear we want to win the game on Sunday."

Bukayo Saka will miss Sunday’s match (PA Wire)

The last meeting between the two title contenders at the Etihad in September 2024 was a fiery affair, culminating in Erling Haaland launching a ball at Arsenal defender Gabriel and telling Arteta to "stay humble" amid a post-match clash.

When questioned if he ever understood Haaland’s remarks, Arteta simply replied: "No." He then added with a smile: "That’s one of the nicest things that you can get told. It’s obviously an extremely competitive match between top sides that are looking to win the Premier League. It doesn’t get better than that and that competition for sure is going to be seen on the pitch."

While Saka is out, Noni Madueke, who limped off in Arsenal’s draw with Sporting Lisbon, is expected to be fit for Sunday.

Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori will all undergo assessments on Saturday, adding further uncertainty to Arsenal’s squad ahead of the pivotal clash.