A good time for City to play Arsenal?

Les Chapman

IT all seems a bit unsettled at Arsenal at the moment, so it might be a good time for Manchester City to play them.

Pep Guardiola's team will go there on Sunday high on confidence of course, for what will be the first of two really crucial Premier League games.

They will have to be on their guard against Arsenal without doubt, then there's the trip to Chelsea to follow on the Wednesday.

RECORD

City haven't got a great record at Arsenal, but these games against the sides in and around you in the race for the top four are real six-pointers.

Things obviously aren't going as smoothly as some would like at Arsenal, but it is a difficult situation to read.

Arsene Wenger is coming in for some stick, but he's got a remarkable record at his club. He always seems to secure them qualification for the Champions League.

I just hope he doesn't end up being hound out, that would be unfortunate after all these years.

It's a tough one, but maybe Arsenal do need something of a fresh start under a new manager - a new impetus maybe.

On the international front it was good to see England win comfortably in their latest World Cup qualifier.

I was pleased for Joe Hart too, as he was captain of the team for the game.

And what about Jermain Defoe?

He really has seen a remarkable upturn in his goalscoring form since he went to Sunderland.

I think he pretty much kept them up last season, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he went and did it again this time.

I was out and about with my football boots on again at weekend, playing for City's legends team in a game at the Etihad training campus against an American team, the Boston Braves.

They'd been over in Europe to play teams like Real Madrid and Barcelona, and I think they're now going on to play Liverpool, Arsenal and maybe even England over the next week or so.

It was classed an an international fixture (!) and City won 4-1. Paul Dickov and Michael Brown scored two goals each.

I played for about half-an-hour in total as it was roll-on, roll-off subs, but I was feeling a bit stuff the following morning!