Arsenal Vs Manchester City: 5 key players to watch – We’re back, baby

4. Aymeric Laporte

You do not have to look far to see where Manchester City’s problems have come this season. They are 25 points behind Liverpool and well of their relentless pace of the past two seasons. And there is one primary position to blame: centre-back. Despite playing nine games fewer, they have already conceded eight more goals than last season.

The departure of Vincent Kompany in the summer has been hugely detrimental to the defensive unit, while Aymeric Laporte has missed much of the year through injury. Laporte is City’s best central defender, and it is noticeable how much more comfortable every other player looks when he is in the team.

Now fit, the Frenchman will return to Pep’s defence as the left-footed centre-back he craves. This will take the pressure of Fernandinho, a midfielder who has moonlighted as a centre-half so far this season, and would relegate Nicolas Otamendi to the bench. Immediately, City’s defence looks substantially more stable than it has been for much of the campaign.