Road accident deaths drop by 50% in Saudi Arabia    SR 3.95 million fines for 3 employees of a company and 6-month jail for one for violating Capital Market Law    Qassim emir launches 52 health projects costing a total of SR456 million    BD and INS partner to elevate standards of infusion care in MENAT    Dubai Design Week launches its 10th edition, celebrating creativity and innovation    GASTAT: Passengers of public transport bus and train soar 176% and 33% respectively in 2023    Fakeeh Care Group reports 9M-2024 net profit of SR195.3 million, up 49% y-o-y driven by solid revenue growth and robust profitability    Italy's 'Libra' to arrive in Albania with just eight migrants on board    South Africa shuts border crossing with Mozambique over poll unrest    French families sue TikTok over harmful content that allegedly led to suicides    Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power    HRT does not impact life expectancy — UK health body    Liam Payne's body to be flown back to the UK    Suspect arrested for banking fraud totaling SR493 million as Nazaha pursues corruption charges    Arab leaders and heads of state congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump    Neymar suffers muscle tear, out for 4-6 weeks    Crown Prince hails Saudi medical team that performed world's first fully robotic heart transplant    Al Nassr secures 5-1 victory over Al Ain to edge closer to knockout stage    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Much to prove for Arsenal and City
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 12 - 2016

Manchester City's fragility and Arsenal's durability will be under the microscope at the Etihad Stadium Sunday as both clubs try and keep in touch with Premier League leader Chelsea.
A first win over Arsenal for three years would stabilize City's title challenge after a difficult period for Pep Guardiola's side which got back on track in midweek with a welcome clean sheet in a 2-0 home victory over Watford.
Arsenal looked like Chelsea's main rival until a midweek defeat at Everton ended an unbeaten league run stretching back to the opening day of the season.
Those results left Arsenal and City in third and fourth place respectively after 16 games but by the time they kick off Sunday could find themselves nine and 10 points adrift of Chelsea which visits Crystal Palace at lunch time Saturday.
An 11th consecutive win for Chelsea in the weekend's opening fixture against a Palace side flirting with the relegation zone would raise the stakes considerably for the chasing pack.
Second-placed Liverpool faces local rival Everton Monday while Tottenham Hotspur, which is fifth, hosts Burnley Sunday. Sixth-placed Manchester United visits West Bromwich Albion Saturday seeking a third straight victory.
City's triumph over Watford followed defeats by Chelsea and champion Leicester City that had manager Guardiola defending himself against accusations his tactics were confusing the players.
The Spaniard is unused to such attacks but there was a sense he told his players to stick to basics against Watford when he re-shaped his defense, dropping John Stones.
A first home league win since Sept. 17 was the perfect fillip before facing an Arsenal side that, until Tuesday's defeat, had been scoring for fun.
City will still be without suspended duo Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho — a legacy of the late melee against Chelsea — while German midfielder Ilkay Guendogan faces a long layoff after suffering a knee injury against Watford.
While Guardiola has been under the spotlight, Arsene Wenger has looked serene with his Arsenal side showing no sign of the kind of slumps that have undermined so many title challenges since it was last champion in 2004.
That was until defeat at Everton. A quick riposte would allow that result to be filed away as a ‘blip' but a second consecutive defeat on the road would rob it of all momentum heading into the cluster of Christmas fixtures.
"We have to recover. We play five games away from home out of six and we have a fantastic away record. We want to keep that strength and prepare well for the next one," Wenger said.
Chelsea will hope to equal its 2009 11-match league winning streak under Carlo Ancelotti when it takes on Palace. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.