Can the Gunners beat the defending champions or will City run riot once again?
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Photo: AFP)
Arsenal vs Manchester City may be the last Premier League tie of Matchday 1, but it’s easily the biggest clash of the opening weekend and the lineups for Sunday evening’s clash at the Emirates are out.
📋 Here’s our team news…
🔴 This is @UnaiEmery_‘s first @PremierLeague teamsheet#ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/BwBGaf7Swk
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— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) August 12, 2018
Veteran Petr Cech ahead of new boy Bernd Leno starts in goal for the hosts, behind a four-man defence of Hector Bellerin, Shkodran Mustafi, Sokratis and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Summer signing Matteo Guendouzi starts in midfield alongside Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey, while Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan flank centre forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Your Champions’ line-up! 🙌
City XI | Ederson, Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Gündogan, Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Agüero
Subs | Bravo, Kompany, De Bruyne, Sané, Otamendi, Jesus, Foden
Presented by @haysworldwide. #afcvcity #mancity pic.twitter.com/tIW9LfRpM8
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 12, 2018
City are also lining up in a 4-3-3, with Ederson starting between the sticks.
Benjamin Mendy, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Kyle Walker start in defence, with Fernandinho, Ilkay Guendogan and Bernardo Silva featuring in midfield.
Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez flank Sergio Aguero up top for the Citizens.
Arsenal may be playing on their home turf, but against the defending champions they are very the underdogs.
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Under Emery, the Gunners have had a positive pre-season, but this is the real deal and all eyes will be on the Spanish tactician to see how he fares in his first real test as an Arsenal manager.
City were excellent against Chelsea in the Community Shield last week and will look to continue that form against the North Londoners, but
Arsenal: Cech (C), Bellerin, Sokratis, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles, Ramsey, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil and Aubameyang.
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Laporte, Mendy, Bernardo, Guendogan, Fernandinho (C), Mahrez, Sterling and Aguero.
Match kicks off at 2030 IST.
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