Arsenal attacker Theo Walcott feels his side are ready for their biggest test of the campaign when they take on Manchester United on Sunday. The north London club are the last team to have beaten the Citizens during their FA Cup semi-final in April. They also ran the Mancunian giants close in the corresponding outing last term where Walcott scored the opener in a 2-1 defeat.
Walcott, 28, is unlikely to make a start at the Etihad this time around, but he believes the Gunners can halt the Citizens' 14-match winning streak across all competitions, he said: "I feel like the next step now is to win. Last year we went 1-0 up and then faded away in the second half, it was very disappointing in the end, losing the game. It's going to be the biggest test. We are in positive form in the Premier League at the moment. We need to concentrate on our strengths because we are quietly going about our business in the Premier League at this time."
Pep Guardiola's side are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League this campaign having won nine and drawn one of their 10 matches. The Citizens have also averaged more than three goals per game which makes them a menace for any side, who are defensively weak.
In contrast, Arsenal have secured just a solitary win in five away outings, but they can take heart from their performance at Chelsea in September, where they played out a 0-0 draw. Petr Cech made a crucial block off Pedro during the game whilst Aaron Ramsey nearly scored at the other end only to be denied by the post. The north London side are currently nine points behind their Manchester counterparts, and a defeat on Sunday could end their Premier League title prospects for yet another season.
