Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Where the Game Will Be Won

It is almost time to breathe a huge sigh of relief. The Premier League season is almost upon us.

Three arduous months without domestic football has been difficult, but the end is in sight.

First though, two of Britain's elite clubs go head-to-head in what is their final preseason friendly of the summer.

The Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland will provide the setting for Arsenal taking on Manchester City this Saturday.

Discussing the fixture, Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis told Arsenal.com "We have many passionate supporters in Finland, and it will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with them all in what will be our first-ever match in the country."

Arsenal have been in decent form in the lead-up to this game.

With the exception of a 2-1 loss to Galatasaray, the side has gone unbeaten, beating the likes of the Indonesia Dream Team and Vietnam 7-0 and 7-1 respectively.

Olivier Giroud has been far and away his team's most impressive player during the last few months, scoring seven goals in five games.

The French forward has done his best to claim a place in Arsene Wenger's first XI for next term.

Manchester City's preseason preparations have also yielded mixed results.

The Blues had a terrible trip to South Africa in July, losing to both Supersport United and AmaZulu FC.

Most recently, Manuel Pellegrini's side fell to German powerhouse Bayern Munich 2-1 in the Audi Cup.

The most impressive result of City's preseason friendlies was their 5-3 victory over AC Milan in late July.

Edin Dzeko scored twice in that game to remind his manager he is still fighting for relevance in Manchester.

Who wins the key matchups between the two sides will ultimately determine which team emerges victorious in Finland.

One will certainly be City defender Vincent Kompany vs. Olivier Giroud.

The Belgian centre-back is a match for any opposing forward. He exudes calmness and confidence at the back and will need to be on top form while defensive partner Matija Nastasic remains out injured.

He will need to prevent Giroud slipping in behind him on counter attacks.

The central midfield will see Blues man-mountain Yaya Toure and his newly signed comrade Fernandinho try to keep a lid on the Gunners' Santi Cazorla.

Cazorla is one of the most creative players in the Premier League and has the ability to change a game with a single moment of genius.

If he can find pockets of space to operate in, in what will surely be a packed midfield, Arsenal will have an automatic edge.

Pellegrini will likely give both new signings Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo starts on Saturday in preparation for their first Premier League game the following weekend.

The men tasked with stopping them for Arsenal will be Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker.

Defying the odds, the two developed into a reliable defensive partnership during the latter half of last season.

They will have to contend with the quick, tricky Jovetic on the ground and the physically overwhelming Negredo in the air.

Other newcomers such as Spanish winger Jesus Navas for City and French forward Yaya Sanogo may also feature this weekend.

The game should prove an entertaining spectacle, though both managers will be hoping more that their players can avoid picking up injuries than the end result itself.

Who do you think will be key to his side picking up a win this Saturday?

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