Dream Arsenal line-up vs Manchester City as Martinelli returns and Partey starts

However, there are plenty of narratives to the game with the majority centring around who is not going to be playing. From the visitor side, both Rodri, who is suspended, and Kevin De Bruyne, who is injured, will not be a part of the team with the duo being a thorn in the Gunners’ side for quite some time.

In terms of what a dream line-up for the team could look like, starting in goal, David Raya. The mistakes against Tottenham and RC Lens can be forgotten if he keeps out the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez this weekend.

The defence has options, mainly at left-back with either Oleksandr Zinchenko or Takehiro Tomiyasu up for debate with the latter offering more defensive security and likely preferable away from home. However, at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners will hope to build from the back and that’s why the Ukrainian is preferred.

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will partner up for the first time against City since the last home defeat as the Frenchman missed the trip to Etihad Stadium through injury. Ben White will return to start at right-back and be tasked with dealing with a variety of potential starting options on the City left.

Into midfield and Thomas Partey’s return to fitness could not have come at a better time. If fit to start, being paired with Declan Rice revives the Community Shield success that saw the Gunners compete with the treble-winners for the whole match and eventually lift to trophy.

Martin Odegaard could do with a top performance against Man City on his CV to use against his dwindling number of critics. A skipper’s display on Sunday and the Norwegian begins to find tiers of appreciation reserved for only the very best of the club.

Arsenal dream line-up vs Manchester City: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Rice, Odegaard; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli