Jack Grealish has praised two Arsenal stars as Manchester City prepare to play host to the Premier League leaders and warned his team-mates they will face a ‘more experienced’ Gunners team than in years gone by.
Sunday’s clash at the Etihad Stadium is expected to be one of the defining games of the 2023-24 season, with Man City knowing they can overtake Arsenal as they chase a record fourth successive league title.
Barring the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal in October, Manchester City boast an impressive record against Mikel Arteta’s side and won 4-1 in this fixture last season.
That result all but ended Arsenal’s admirable title challenge, with Man City going on to win the league by five points on their way to a historic treble.
The Gunners have mounted another title challenge this season and Grealish says Man City will be coming up against a ‘more experienced’ team following last summer’s additions of England star Declan Rice and Champions League winner Kai Havertz.
‘Obviously, they have added Declan [Rice] and [Kai] Havertz who are both playing really well at the moment,’ Grealish told Manchester City’s official website.
‘They might have a bit more experience than last season. In both this season and last season, they have had a young side and last season was their first real time in a title race, so this year they might have a bit more experience.
‘I think it is all about us at the moment and if we go out there and win the game then it puts us in a great position.’
While Man City could overtake Arsenal come Sunday evening, Arteta’s side will move four points clear of the defending champions if they record back-to-back wins over the European champions.
The Gunners last won the Premier League in 2004 but have been knocking on the door under Arteta and travel to the Etihad having failed to win just eight of their 28 league games this term.
‘We have to win. We are behind them at the moment,’ added Grealish, who has been out for a month with a groin problem but returned to training this week.
‘We know it is going to be a tough game, but I just feel that when teams come to the Etihad, I feel like we always make it difficult for them.
‘I don’t think we’ve lost at the Etihad for about 16 months or something. It is a game that we are looking forward to and you want to play in. I am looking forward to it.’
Manchester City are not just attempting to win a fourth successive Premier League title but seal back-to-back trebles ahead of a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and a FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Grealish insists City have the ‘talent’ and ‘desire’ to make more history but is wary of looking too far ahead.
‘Us as a team and as a club, we are just taking it one game at a time at the moment,’ the 28-year-old said.
‘I know that is what everyone says, but we genuinely are. It was the same last year. We weren’t really looking at it thinking ‘can we go and do the treble?’
‘It was more like let’s take it one game at a time in the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League finals at the end. We’re just taking each game as it comes.
‘We certainly have the talent, the desire and the team to go and do it. We have the best manager in the world. Fingers crossed we can have a successful last few months of the season.’
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