Sergio Aguero returns to Premier League action as Manchester City hosts Arsenal at the Etihad at 11am ET, live on NBCSN or live online at NBC Sports Live Extra.
A massive fixture sees Arsenal leave Wojciech Szczesny on the bench yet again as Arsene Wenger desperately needs a statement win to send his side back up the table.
The Gunners sit in sixth position, and need to earn points now to separate themselves from the likes of West Ham and Tottenham and challenge for a Champions League return. They sit a full four points off the fourth position, with a galvanized Manchester United owning that spot.
The Etihad is no easy place to earn points, however, as Manchester City’s home ground has dolled out just five points to opponents this season so far. The Citizens come into this game needing three points themselves to keep pace with Chelsea at the top. Manuel Pellegrini has a relatively full-strength squad, missing just Samir Nasri missing from injury and new signing Wilfried Bony on international duty in Africa. Edin Dzeko and Vincent Kompany both proved their fitness after injury layoffs.
WATCH LIVE: Manchester City vs Arsenal live online at NBC Sports Live Extra
Meanwhile, the Gunners will begin life without Mathieu Debuchy (again) and Mikel Arteta (again) as both recently had surgery. Calum Chambers is back from sickness and on the bench, while Kieran Gibbs also returns to the teamsheet from a heel problem as an available substitute.
Manchester City has lost just one of their last six matches with Arsenal at the Etihad, and with so much on the line, it promises to be a quality fight.
LINEUPS:
Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho, Fernando, Navas, Silva, Milner, Aguero.
Bench: Caballero, Mangala, Sagna, Kolarov, Lampard, Jovetic, Dzeko.
Arsenal: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Alexis, Giroud.
Bench: Szczesny, Gibbs, Chambers, Flamini, Rosicky, Ozil, Walcott.
