PREDICTED LINEUP - MANCHESTER CITY VS ARSENAL - LAPORTE AND MAHREZ START, GUNDOGAN ON BENCH

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It's a crunch time for Manchester City, as they welcome title challengers Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium for the biggest Premier League match of the season to date.

City know that a victory against the Gunners, as well as winning their game in hand at home to West Ham, means they could find themselves a point clear at the top of the Premier League table, with an extra game over Arsenal to played in the final week of the season.

With Arsenal yet to travel to St James' Park to face 3rd place Newcastle United, this would strike a real opportunity for City to not just retain the Premier League, but wrap it up before their final two tough away games at Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, as the Blues continue to fight on 3 fronts.

This game will by no means be a walk in the park, however. Arsenal have been one of the standout teams in European football this season, dominating the Premier League with their attacking flair and relentless energy. Recently, however, they've shown signs of losing their way, throwing away 2-0 leads in 2 consecutive games, against Liverpool and West Ham, and relying upon a late comeback to clinch a point against bottom of the table Southampton at the Emirates Stadium.

This game comes in the middle of a tight schedule for City, as they play come up against Fulham on Sunday, before taking on West Ham next Wednesday and Leeds on that upcoming Saturday, all of which are important Premier League fixtures, as the Blues look to win the league for a third consecutive season.

It'll be interesting to see how Guardiola approaches the game from a tactical point of view. Does he start Kyle Walker at right back, to contain the pace and trickery of Gabriel Martinelli, even if it sacrifices part of the system? In possession, will we see the more familiar 3-2-4-1 formation, used since the World Cup, or will we see the 3-3-1-3 formation that lined up in City's most recent game against Sheffield United?

City come into this crucial match having been able to give complete rest to Ruben Dias, John Stones, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne after their 3-0 FA Cup semi final win over Sheffield United, a luxury Guardiola is unlikely to be able to have again this season. Arsenal, meanwhile, have just the Premier League to focus on, and a much less congested fixture list than City.

Here's how we think the Blues will line up for this huge match in the title race:

Stefan Ortega-Moreno has played well on every occasion he's been given recently, but it'll be first choice goalkeeper Ederson who starts in goal.

John Stones is a certainty to start, wherever that may be, which we predict will be right back, with Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias at centre back. Worryingly, at time of writing, Nathan Ake's availability has been neither confirmed nor denied, so we expect Aymeric Laporte to start at left back, in an attempt to limit one of the world's best wingers in Bukayo Saka.

After getting a well deserved rest at the weekend, one would expect Rodri to slot straight back in the side, with Kevin de Bruyne the other certain pick ahead of him, playing as the right sided 8. As the left sided 8, we have opted for Bernardo Silva, as it gives Guardiola the flexibility to go with the 3-3-1-3 formation used against Sheffield United, with Stones, Rodri and Bernardo playing as a midfield trio, to give De Bruyne more space and freedom in attacking areas. This seems harsh on club captain Ilkay Gundogan, however, it'd seem a plausible change to make, as Guardiola labelled it as a game full of transitions, therefore, he'll want more protection at the back and more freedom going forwards for his chaos causing attackers.

Riyad Mahrez could be rewarded for a fine hattrick against Sheffield United with a start against the Gunners, as City look to exploit any potential weakness down Arsenal's left hand side, with Ukrainian full back and former City player Oleksandr Zinchenko frequently leaving space by dropping into midfield. Jack Grealish has become an indispensable member of the City side, so expect him to start on the left wing.

Erling Haaland is in a rich vein of form, even by his standards, and he'll look to add to his goal tally against an Arsenal defence weakened by the absence of William Saliba. In the FA Cup meeting between the two teams, which City won 1-0 at the Etihad thanks to a Nathan Ake goal, backup centre back Rob Holding struggled to contain Haaland, so let's hope we'll see the same again tomorrow night.

This leaves Stefan Ortega Moreno, Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, Sergio Gomez, Kalvin Phillips, Ilkay Gundogan, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez on the bench.

CMON CITY!!!