Premier League Match Time: Manchester City Vs Arsenal

Manchester City host Arsenal at Eastlands this Sunday in what must surely be billed the super match of match-week nine of the Premier League season.

Both teams are expected to challenge for the title in a year when both Chelsea and Manchester United rely on older players who might find the going tougher as the season wears on. City's Arab owners have spent their oil millions on assembling a marquee team. Arsenal have also put together a bunch of talented young players.

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It is fair to say that neither team has lived up to its real potential thus far in the season, though City have won four league matches in a row, including a 1-0 win over Chelsea, and are snapping at Chelsea's heels on the points table.

City played two home matches last season against the Gunners, and won both games by convincing margins. The first time they met at Eastlands was in the Premier League, a match that the Citizens won 4-2; the second match in the Carling Cup resulted in a 3-0 rout of Wenger's men.

Ahead of the Sunday game, Gunners will welcome Fabregas's return to match fitness. The Spaniard played for an hour in the Champions League game against Shakhtar Donestsk, a game that resulted in a 4-0 thrashing of the Ukrainian outfit.

The Gunners' skipper should get back to midfield action with Song and Nasri. City will miss Wilshere, sidelined owing to suspension, and Walcott, recovered from injury, could fill in for him.

Mancini could go with the same side that played against Blackpool last week, though he could opt to replace Adebayor who was not in the best form against the Tangerines. It will be interesting to see how Arsenal's backline tackles Tevez who has scored in City last four matches in the league, and represents City's best credentials for a title bid. At 26, Tevez looks more likely to go the distance than say, Drogba or Anelka or Malouda.

The injured list for City, ahead of the game on Sunday has Kolarov, Bridge, Balotelli and M Johnson. For Arsenal, Ramsey, Vermaelen, Frimpong, Van Persie, Koscielny, Almunia, Sagna.

Manchester City's probable starting eleven will have: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Zabaleta, Vieira, De Jong, Barry, Milner, Tevez, Silva.

The substitutes are likely to be: Boateng, Adebayor, Zabaleta, Santa Cruz, Wright-Phillips, Given.

The following men are likely to be in Arsenal's starting eleven: Fabianski, Eboue, Squillaci, Djourou, Clichy, Song, Diaby, Nasri, Walcott, Arshavin, Chamakh.

The substitutes are likely to be: Bendtner, Rosicky, Denilson, Vela, Szczesny, Gibbs.

Premier League Match Time: Manchester City Vs Arsenal

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