Pep Guardiola is about to test Man City title credentials for the first time amid Arsenal challenge

As Pep Guardiola pointed out last week, Manchester City have not been the best team so far in the Premier League this season. Arsenal have.

City temporarily moved above Arsenal in the table by beating Southampton on Saturday, before Arsenal continued their brilliant start by following up their derby win over Tottenham to record a statement win over Liverpool on Sunday.

That result will have been noted at City, who would still view Liverpool as a title rival despite their poor start, but are also aware of the fine job Mikel Arteta is doing at the Emirates. While it was a result that keeps Arsenal top, it also gives City a golden chance to move 16 points ahead of Liverpool next Sunday.

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It's a quirk of the fixture list this season that City's only 'Big Six' meetings before the World Cup will be the 6-3 derby win over Manchester United and Sunday's trip to Anfield. United were meant to be much-improved and arrived at the Etihad with their best chance of victory in two seasons, but were helpless against City's attacking power and conceded six.

Guardiola warned after the Southampton win that a trip to Anfield remains the toughest test in English football, and City's own record there is poor - they have only won once there in 21 visits stretching back to 2003, as part of a larger run of two wins in 35 visits. And that win in 2020/21 was played behind closed doors, so City know how tough a task it is to silence the Anfield crowd and come away with a result.

Before that, City travel to Copenhagen knowing victory will book their place in the Champions League last-16 with two games remaining. And if they do that, a win at Borussia Dortmund next up would