Arsenal 2 Manchester City 1: As it happened

Table top battle: Who will come out on top?
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James Benge21 December 2015

Arsenal host Manchester City in a clash that could be crucial when the Premier League trophy is handed out in May.

Alexis Sanchez has been left out of the side for tonight’s crucial clash at the Emirates, while Sergio Aguero returns.

Theo Walcott once more starts in an unchanged lineup for the hosts, with Joel Campbell and Mesut Ozil also tasked with providing attacking support to Olivier Giroud.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is once more forced to settle for a place on the bench, where he remains Wenger’s only senior attacking option.

As had been expected Sergio Aguero has been restored to the Manchester City frontline after recovering from his heel injury.

He leads a formidable attack that includes David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. Fabian Delph joins Yaya Toure and

Raheem Sterling is named on the bench, along with Wilfried Bony.

THE TEAMS:

Arsenal starting XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Walcott, Ozil, Campbell, Giroud

Substitutes: Gibbs, Gabriel, Ospina, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers, Iwobi, Reine-Adelaide.

Manchester City starting XI: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Toure, Delph, De Bruyne, Silva, Aguero

Substitutes: Caballero, Demichelis, Clichy, Navas, Sterling, Iheanacho, Bony 

The stage, then, is set for a fascinating night at the Emirates. Follow the match LIVE with Standard Sport!

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Who will win the title? Have your say and vote in our poll!

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

WHAT THEY SAID

Wenger on why Arsenal no longer have to be fearful of City stealing their stars: "That was difficult at the start to take but we had to survive financially and we had to live with it," he told reporters.

Every injured Arsenal player

1/7

"We are in a much stronger position today."

"I cannot say it will never happen again because you never know, but we are in a position where we do not have to give in."

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