And Gunners boss Arsene Wenger feels the City are no longer a potential threat for his side.
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It seems as though Arsenal have been a couple of signings off mounting a major challenge for the last couple of seasons, but the Frenchman, out of stubbornness or naivety, has opted against bolstering the base of the midfield and the point of the attack.
The Gunners adopted a contain and counter approach which replicated a gameplan which has so often been their own undoing in big matches to emerge with a vital result to dent City’s title bid and moved Arsenal above Tottenham into fifth place.
I can see it being an open game with plenty of goals and that plays in to Arsenal’s hands.
For Arsenal, victory would strengthen their conviction that this could be their year, and on the other hand, a win for City would be a huge boost to Pellegrini in the wake of intense speculation about his future. We want to win because it’s at our home and we want to be successful.
Mikel Arteta could also be back in the frame after a calf problem but Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky all remain sidelined. Belgian skipper Vincent Kompany will be missing the game, along with Pablo Zabaleta, Fernando and Samir Nasri.
It should be easy enough for Sergio Aguero to slot straight back into the team. Kevin De Bruyne could return after he was dropped to the bench due to fatigue against Swansea.
Arsene Wenger has hailed the character in his team ahead of tonight’s game against Man City, and says that the fixture against Manuel Pellegrini’s side will be another chance to show that in the Premier League. But they will go into Monday’s game full of confidence, with Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey both bang in form and the team and fans believing this could be their year.
City have won the League twice since then.
City haven’t won a league game away from the Etihad since September (D2, L2).
Henry claims the outcome of the match between Arsenal and City will not have an impact on deciding on this season’s champions.
Mesut Ozil believes his Arsenal teammates’ improved finishing is the key reason behind him becoming the most unsafe playmaker in Europe’s major leagues so far this season.
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The Gunners have conceded just 11 goals in their last 20 Premier League games at the Emirates.
