Mark Goldbridge: Arsenal remain contenders for Manchester City's throne, but Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are world class

In an exclusive column for talkSPORT.com, Mark Goldbridge gives his verdict ahead of Man City vs Arsenal this weekend.

The Premier League is back, and it has done so with strength and with a big title showdown on sunday – How will you be victorious? Forks Bukayo Saka really world class?

Arsenal They will be the losers of the game and they have to get a result if they want to win the Premier League.

Arsenal are the pretenders to the throne and city ​​of manchester They are the best: they won the treble last year and I still have them as favorites to win the league.

Manchester City do it week after week and at Arsenal there is a feeling that they are on the road to that.

But they've had a couple of lucky escapes, Man City. I certainly don't think they should be that close to Liverpool as they are.

I think it was a penalty (the late one Incident between Jeremy Doku and Alexis Mac Allister in the recent 1-1 draw) and there have been a couple more decisions, but we are where we are.

Obviously we've had a long break in action during the international break and that can be a good or bad thing – a lot of players leave to fulfill international commitments and the finger can lose a bit of a pulse on the title. career.

It's a very important game and Manchester City obviously have the home advantage, but after the international break you're going to lose your rhythm a little bit.

Arsenal had such good pace before, can they bring that to the Etihad?

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Saka is world class… Foden?

Much has been made of the single player battles in this game, especially Rodri against Declan Rice.

Declan Rice He is having an incredible season and could very well be a candidate for Player of the Year. It's very rare that you find a £100m player who justifies that fee almost instantly.

“I think he came into the Arsenal team and added something they needed and it's ridiculously impressive that he's been so consistent in taking that step.

But then there's Rodri, who is the elite midfielder in world football right now.

There has also been a lot of talk, especially with England, about Phil Foden vs Bukayo Saka: I actually prefer Saka to Foden.

I think what he's done in his career is most impressive in the sense that Arsenal weren't an established team, he bounced back from that Euro final defeat and he's been ridiculously consistent week in and week out in an Arsenal that's still growing. .

Phil Foden is a fantastic player, but he is in a team surrounded by incredible players and is being coached by an incredible coach in pep guardiola. I don't take anything away from Foden, I simply prefer Saka.

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I think everyone has an individual appreciation of what “world class” means. I talk to some people and it's amazing what they consider “world class.”

James Maddison It's not world class. He is a good player but he is not world class, but some people (Spurs fans) would say it is.

I think Saka is world class, because his consistency since the Euros has been so good, I really think he is world class. I think he is a player that would fit into most teams.

Some people feel like you have to win something, but I don't agree with that. There are countless world-class players who never played in a World Cup because their national team wasn't good enough to do so.

Erling Haaland He doesn't play in international tournaments, but he is definitely a world-class striker.

I think Saka is world class and I think more players in that Arsenal team can become world class. I would say Odegaard, if Arsenal really achieve something, he would start to get into that group.

Mark's combined XI between Manchester City and Arsenal:

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Score prediction:

I'll go to Manchester City 2-1. I think, unfortunately, Manchester City will win.