Versatile defender Timber had looked like he would be an instant hit at the Emirates Stadium, performing excellently in pre-season before sustaining an ACL injury during his Premier League debut back in August. Club-record signing Rice has been consistently solid in midfield whilst Raya has displaced previous first-choice Aaron Ramsdale between the sticks, registering three clean sheets from his first five appearances for Mikel Arteta's side.
But Havertz has struggled to adapt since joining from Chelsea in a £65million deal, at times looking lost in a deeper midfield role - similar to the one Granit Xhaka played in for Arsenal last term. But Guardiola has claimed that the Gunners' recruitment team did a great job in the summer, predicting the German international to come good.
"The recruitment they have done is top, exceptional level of players,” Guardiola said when discussing the north Londoners' business. "The keeper [Raya], Havertz, Rice.They are a good team.” City have enjoyed a hugely impressive record against Arsenal in recent years, winning each of their last 12 league meetings.
In fact, Guardiola has never lost a league meeting against the Gunners but Arteta has claimed that doesn't faze him. " I think [we can] change it," Arteta said of the poor record.
"When I came here it was so many years at Old Trafford, and also at Stamford Bridge and we've done it. So let's change it.
"I'm aware of the qualities of the opponent, that's unquestionable. The only thing I put my energy on is that on Sunday we have to be at our best for 100 minutes. That’s the thing we can control and focus on because the rest is something that we can’t."
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