Manchester City vs Arsenal: Nico O'Reilly fit to face the GunnersYoungster is available for top of the table clash in boost for Blues
Manchester City vs Arsenal
Competition: F.A. Premier League
Date: 4.30pm, Sunday 19th April 2026
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Anthony Taylor Assistants: G Beswick, I Hussin Fourth Official: P Tierney VAR: J Brooks
Odds: City 4/5, Draw 13/5, Arsenal 10/3
Tickets: Sold out
TV: Sky Sports
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Squad (from): Donnarumma, Trafford, Bettinelli, Stones, Ake, Guehi, Ait-Nouri, Khusanov, Alleyne, Lewis, Reijnders, Kovacic, Cherki, Gonzalez, Rodri, Silva, Nunes, O'Reilly, Foden, Marmoush, Haaland, Doku, Savinho, Semenyo
Injured: Gvardiol, Dias
Doubtful: Stones, O'Reilly
Suspended: None
Form guide: WWWLD
Arsenal
Manager: Mikel Arteta
Squad (from): Raya, Arrizabalaga, Setford, Saliba, Mosquera, White, Hincapie, Gabriel, Timber, Calafiori, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Eze, Norgaard, Zubimendi, Rice, Dowman, Jesus, Martinelli, Gyokeres, Trossard, Madueke, Havertz
Injured: Merino, Saka
Doubtful: Odegaard, Calafiori, Timber, Madueke
Suspended: None
Form guide: LWLLW
Ruben Dias misses out once again with a thigh injury, but Nico O'Reilly is fit to face the Gunners.
Arsenal's defeat against Bournemouth last weekend means that City could close the gap at the top to just three points, and the Blues have a game in hand.
Despite the high stakes, manager Pep Guardiola has urged his players to play the game and not the occasion.
“I said today to the players, it is just a football game and we have to approach it like a football game,” he said at Friday's press conference.
“If you get distracted by emotions, that is how you lose focus.
“What is the target? It is to perform well and that is exactly what you have got to do and all the aspects required to challenge a team like Arsenal.
“We need to get even better. The first half against Chelsea was not bad but not great. The first 30 minutes against Liverpool was not good either. The first 30 minutes against Arsenal in the final they were better.
“You cannot pretend that these kinds of teams will be 90/95 minutes perfect, but this one aspect is not about the future, present or past, it’s about confidence, which is an incredible aspect.
“If you could buy confidence in a supermarket we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects.
“The reality is, there are seven games left in the Premier League and that is the decisive moment.”
City won their last game against Arsenal 2-0, with Nico O'Reilly scoring twice to secure the Crabao Cup at Wembley. Overall City have won 53 of the 184 games played against the Gunners, with 44 draws and 87 defeats.
Predicted line-up: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Cherki, Doku, Semenyo, Haaland
Score prediction: City 2 Arsenal 1
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