Arsenal vs. Manchester City, 2017 FA Cup: 3 Things to Watch

Sunday afternoon at Wembley will decide how people view the respective seasons of Manchester City and Arsenal.

Whoever wins will be able to answer some of the questions that have swirled around their status in England and Europe. Scrutiny of the losing club will only be amplified for the remaining weeks of the season.

It is bound to be an exciting match as the two teams pursue their only chance of winning a trophy in 2017.

Here are three things to watch:

1 - A Contentious Match

Wembley will be on fire with hopes that each team’s struggles can be forgotten with a place in the FA Cup Final.

Arsenal have been bruised and battered over the course of this campaign, but they are always capable of inflicting damage.

City’s defenders will have to manage Arsenal’s advances with the utmost composure. At the same time, the Blues will be ready to explode with massive attacks on the Gunners’ midfield and back line.

Referee Andre Marriner will have a tough job of keeping adrenaline and aggression to a minimum.

2 - Player Selection

At this point, Pep Guardiola has managed to get a lot of productivity from a wide range of players.

Fabian Delph has allowed Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Touré, and others to get much needed rest. Jesús Navas has brought a temporary remedy to City’s needs at right-back. Vincent Kompany appears to be healthy again, and looks amazing.

The depth of City’s squad has been easier to appreciate in the last month or so as Pep continues to tinker with player selection and positioning. The team’s ability to understand what’s asked of them and to execute has clearly improved, and they'll need to play well again on Sunday.

3 - Can City find a breakthrough?

The semi-finals of England’s oldest competition would be a great place for the Sky Blues to unleash every element of their talent and training. With signature smoothness and pace, City have had some incredible moments this season. But they continue to suffer from missed chances and ‘bad luck.’

If they can take down the Gunners with more decisive shots, the Blues’ ability to possess and create more and more chances will see them through.

After watching the league title slip away and exiting the Champions League, City have found a spark. They have been entertaining and productive but still lack higher levels of performance.

Arsenal will not be an easy opponent but City have shown that they can overcome anyone when they find the right approach.