Arsenal handed major boost ahead of Man City clash as key player is ruled out

Arsenal have been handed a massive boost ahead of this weekend’s box office showdown against Manchester City.

According to the Mirror, Kevin De Bruyne is set to sit out the crunch match after picking up an injury during the Cityzens’ Champions League game against Inter Milan.

Arsenal and Man City are considered title favourites after their epic battles over the past two seasons, and this weekend’s clash of the titans has become one of the most highly-anticipated matches of the season.

The Gunners are keen to topple their Manchester counterparts and secure their first Premier League title in over two decades.

Having already failed to achieve that objective twice in a row, the Gunners will be hoping it is third-time lucky this season.

Sunday’s showdown at the Etihad Stadium could go a long way in deciding who comes out on top in this season’s title race, with both sides already setting the pace.

However, the build-up to the match has been dominated by injury problems to key players for both teams.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is ruled out until November, which has forced manager Mikel Arteta to tweak his tactical approach.

The Gunners will journey to Manchester on the back of a goalless draw against Europa League title holders Atalanta.

The result against the Serie A side means Arsenal are yet to taste defeat across all competitions, but they’ll face their biggest test to date against Man City.