Ex-Manchester City and Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna expects a stalemate when two of his former clubs face off against each other this weekend.

As well as predicting a draw, Sagna also named the potential goalscorers when speaking to Paddy Power:

“I predict Arsenal vs Manchester City will finish 1-1. I’m going to go for Leandro Trossard to score for Arsenal and I think Omar Marmoush will make a big difference for City – he loves this type of game.”

“It’s always a great game, and two years ago the intensity and atmosphere was crazy. Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola know each other and how they play, and it’s always interesting to see the game plan. I was there on the touchline two years ago, and I was shocked because of the pace of the game, the quality of the players. It’s going to be a good game to watch and important for both teams in terms of coming back into the title race.”

It would be a huge win for City

Sagna suggests that Pep Guardiola’s men could be back in the shout for the Premier League title if they beat the Gunners, but that seems rather far-fetched considering how far they are behind leaders Liverpool.

However, securing the three points at the Emirates would be a massive morale boost for the squad, and it would hold them in good stead for the rest of the season as they target a top 4 finish.

Arsenal v Man City team news

Guardiola has confirmed that the five players who were absent from the squad for the win over Club Brugge are still unavailable. Ruben Dias (adductor), Nathan Ake (muscular), Jeremy Doku (knock), Oscar Bobb (fitness) and Rodri (ACL) remain out of contention.

There was some excitement when it was reported that Rodri could be included in the squad for the Champions League knockout phase, prompting speculation that the Spaniard may make an earlier return to fitness than anticipated. However, Guardiola has played down hopes that the Ballon d’Or winner will be back anytime soon.

Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here