Incredible Opportunity' Waits for Arsenal at Etihad, says Arteta

The Gunners have played two more games than the defending champions while being five points ahead of City in second position.

If City were to suffer their first away loss to City since 2015, Pep Guardiola's team would hold the key to the title.

The North London club's chances of winning the Premier League for the first time in 19 years are in jeopardy after drawing its past three league games.

It will be a difficult night and a test, definitely, but the opportunity is tremendous for us, Arteta said at a pre-game news conference on Tuesday after witnessing Arsenal achieve numerous significant away victories this season.

"We were aware from the start that if we wanted to win the Premier League, we had to travel to Tottenham and defeat them, as well as travel to Chelsea and defeat them.

"This is what we have been doing, this is why we are here, and now we go to City and we have to beat them — you want to be champion, you have to win these matches, it is as simple as that."

William Saliba will once again miss Arsenal games due to his "no improvement" in his back injury recovery, and Granit Xhaka is questionable for the game at the Etihad, according to Arteta.

The sick captain of Switzerland missed Friday's tense 3-3 draw with struggling Southampton and hasn't yet started training again.