Arsenal to check on Pepe ahead of Manchester City clash

Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe will have his knee injury assessed ahead of Sunday’s Premier League visit of Manchester City.

The club-record signing missed the Europa League trip to Standard Liege with knee bruising but is in contention to return against the reigning champions.

Hector Bellerin (hamstring) will also undergo a fitness test but Kieran Tierney (shoulder), Granit Xhaka (concussion), Rob Holding (knee) and Danny Ceballos (hamstring) will all miss out.

City will again be without record goalscorer Sergio Aguero (thigh) and defender John Stones (hamstring).

Playmaker David Silva is also doubtful after missing the midweek Champions League game at Dinamo Zagreb after what manager Pep Guardiola described as a kick in the leg.

Goalkeeper Ederson should be available again after illness but defender Aymeric Laporte and winger Leroy Sane (both knee) are long-term absentees.

Arsenal provisional squad: Leno, Martinez, Bellerin, Chambers, Papastathopoulos, Luiz, Mustafi, Kolasinac, Guendouzi, Torreira, Willock, Maitland-Niles, Smith Rowe, Saka, Nelson, Pepe, Lacazette, Aubameyang, Martinelli.

Man City provisional squad: Ederson, Bravo, Walker, Cancelo, Otamendi, Fernandinho, Garcia, Mendy, Angelino, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Rodri, D Silva, B Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus.

FourFourTwo Staff

FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.

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