Arsenal have the opportunity to put themselves on the brink of winning the Premier League title when they visit Manchester City on Sunday afternoon at the Etihad.
The Gunners narrowly overcame Sporting CP in midweek, producing a goalless stalemate to secure their place in the Champions League semi-finals for the second consecutive season. This is the first time the North London club have achieved this feat in their history, and this triumph has helped to lift the mood around N5 ahead of Sunday’s season-defining game in Manchester.
Meanwhile, morale around Pep Guardiola’s camp is high after City comfortably dispatched of Chelsea last weekend. The Citizens now sit just six points behind Arsenal, with a game in hand, and will subsequently be confident that they can overthrow the Gunners at the summit of the English top flight.
With that said, here are the key battles that we believe could be pivotal in dictating the outcome of the game at the Etihad.
Cristhian Mosquera vs Jeremy Doku
Cristhian Mosquera impressed against Sporting on Wednesday, providing more defensive security than Ben White has done in recent matches at right-back. This display will likely have done enough for the Spaniard to retain his place, and this is arguably the right call given who City have operating on the left-hand side of their attack.
Jeremy Doku is one of the league’s most prolific dribblers, and his ability to create separation from his opposing full-back is what breaks a lot of games open for City. Thus, it’s imperative that Mosquera wins his duels and dominates the Belgian.
While the 21-year-old probably isn’t Arsenal’s best defender in open space, he’s outstanding in close quarters, and the Gunners will likely condense the spaces that their right-backs has to defend in on Sunday. William Saliba will provide Mosquera with additional support down this side.
Piero Hincapie vs Antoine Semenyo
Doku isn’t the only City winger in red-hot form. Antoine Semenyo arrived from Bournemouth in January for a significant fee, and the Ghanaian has already netted eight goals for his new club.
His direct running from the right, combined with his ability to get shots off from improbable angles, makes him a relentless threat for City. Piero Hincapie will be pitted against the explosive wide forward, and it’ll be up to him to try to negate this threat.
If the Ecuadorian can lock down one of the most in form players in the league, then Arsenal have a real chance.
Relish the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/IW5mM7EZ6S
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 17, 2026
Gabriel Magalhaes vs Erling Haaland
It says a lot about what this game is likely to be that all three of the most pivotal battles are Arsenal defenders against City attackers. The Gunners are likely to look to play for a draw, and this means they’ll be sitting deep and ceding possession for long stretches.
It also wouldn’t be an intense game between the two teams if Erling Haaland and Gabriel Magalhaes weren’t at the centre of attention. The Norwegian and the Brazilian have developed an iconic rivalry in recent years, with their individual battle sparking some hostile moments between the two sides.
Given Haaland’s stodgy recent form, Gabriel will be confident that he can cope with what the striker has to offer at the Etihad.
