Arsenal XI vs Manchester City as Mikel Arteta makes one change from draw with Southampton

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka returns to the starting XI for the Gunners’ crucial title clash against Manchester City.

The Swiss midfielder missed the 3-3 draw with Southampton through illness, but has been deemed fit enough to play at the Etihad on Wednesday night.

Fabio Vieira drops to the bench with Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Emile Smith Rowe and Jorginho among the options for Arsenal manager to choose from when required.

William Saliba is still unavailable due to a back injury with Arteta refusing to rule out that the Frenchman’s season is over.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta said: “There’s not been a real improvement unfortunately on him. So we are still waiting. We are still hopeful but obviously it is another week that has gone by and he hasn’t been able to train with the team.”

“I’ll leave that to the doctors to explain if they have to explain. At the moment, we don’t have him. We are preparing for this game without him and next game [against Chelsea] obviously probably is going to come too close as well so we have to go week-by-week at the moment.”

Arsenal starting XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale, White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Martinelli.

Subs: Turner, Kiwior, Tierney, Jorginho, Vieira, Smith Rowe, Nelson, Trossard, Nketiah.