Two weeks after he accused Manchester United of playing "anti-football" against the Gunners at Old Trafford, Wenger takes his team across town to Eastlands, where old boys Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure lie in wait.
Wenger once accused Hughes of rearing a side that "had an appetite for violence" when the Welshman was boss at Blackburn and judging by his most recent remarks, the Gunners chief's views on teams who do not play the pure brand of football he believes in have not changed.
Yet Hughes is unconvinced that teams can be successful without a harder edge to their game, using his own team as an example to prove the point.
"Arsene has a fantastic philosophy. Everybody in football appreciates it," said Hughes.
"We are trying to reach the heights he has reached. They have players who can win games with a flash of inspiration.
"I know we have the capability to play football as expansive and creative as Arsenal. But you can't be successful if you just have that kind of player.
"Last season was an illustration. At times we played fantastic flowing, open football. But against certain other types of teams we could not compete.
"I have done OK against Arsene's teams in the past. I know what they enjoy and what they don't. We will try and exploit that."
Such comments are unlikely to go down too well with Wenger, who can expect to meet a City side not afraid to get stuck into the opposition.
Yet they could hardly be described as kickers either, even with a firebrand like Craig Bellamy involved given Carlos Tevez is out with a knee injury.
Certainly Wenger would never have described Toure and Adebayor as such during their respective eight and three-year stints with the north London outfit.
City buys
Both joined City during the summer, allowing Arsenal to pocket £40million in the process.
The loss of Adebayor in particular was not lamented for long given his reputation as a disruptive influence.
Yet, according to Hughes, that side of the Togo striker's character has not surfaced since his move north, only an appetite for goals.
"A lot of things were said about his demeanour in the last year but I have not seen anything like that," said Hughes.
"Emmanuel is playing with a smile on his face. That is evident to everybody.
"He is scoring goals as well. As a striker that is important when you move to a new club."
The presence of Adebayor - who has scored in all three games during a 100% start to their league campaign - and Toure at City is crucial to the club's progression in more aspects than just their performance on the field.
In attracting two men who have been an integral part of a top four team, the Blues have a chance to show leaving a club like Arsenal no longer has to be viewed as a step down.
"They are looking forward to this game with relish," said Hughes.
"They are both really enjoying being a big part of what is happening here.
"There is a lot of focus on us and they want to show what they are capable of.
"They have a huge amount of respect for Arsenal and were a big part of their success there.
"Now they want to show even when you leave one of the top four it is not a downward step when you come to a club like Manchester City."
With Tevez definitely missing, and possibly his eagerly-anticipated Old Trafford return next week too, Hughes has his fingers crossed Robinho will be fit.
The Brazilian has been sent for a scan to check for damage to an inflamed ankle, although the City boss is confident there is no reason to worry as City approach what many view as a true test of their development.
"People are looking at the next two games as the indicator of how we are going to do," said Hughes.
"I understand why there is a focus on the next two games because people are looking at how far we have come and whether we can go to the next level.
"But we don't go into these games with any apprehension. This is a great opportunity to show we can cope with the expectation."
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Come on.......................
It would be nice to stick one to Wenger, and I think it will be a good entertaining game, I`m still going for a 2-2 draw though. Come on you blues!! CTID
Let the mind games begin.I well remember that long running,bitter feud between Hughes and Wenger from a couple of seasons ago.Tomorrows game will be nothing like that,but Hughes is right you won't win nowt if you can't dig in when necessary as we found out during the Sven reign and during Hughes first season.We now have players who can dig in,and I have no worries about us capitulating like we have done on so many occasions in the past.
they wont like it up em!!!
get em hit nice n early put them off there game
then play em off the pitch
2-0 ade first goal 66-1
2-1 ade first goal 60-1
come on blues!!!!!!!
I need a ticket. Twice let down by people saying "i can definitely get you one." It's looking desperate now. I wonder how much the touts are charging outside? Gutted.
Hughes is sopt on with he assessment of us last year. Against certain teams we looked amazing (Portsmouth and Arsenal at home springs to mind) put against the like of Stoke who came back from being 1-0 down with 10 men) we looked like we did not have a clue. If any team did their home work on us properly last year they would now that the best way to beat us was the sit back, make sure we had as little room as possible and then hit us on the break!
We was a one trick pony last year and i am so happy this has been addressed and in such a big way!!!! Would be happy with 2 draws for the next too games.......BUT THAT IS THE OLD CITY MENTALITY!!!!! 6 POINTS COMING UP!!! ;-)
It won't do any harm to press Arsenal hard and make them feel uncomfortable. But actually we don't have any real cloggers - unlike utd with Carrick and Fletcher who look increasingly like men told to 'get stuck in'. I suppose in the absence of talent, they get away with this. But what can we offer in this respect. Nothing much more than Barry and De Jong, both of whom should play.
Hope Robby is fit.
Think will win 3-2, Ireland will score first, he may play a more forward position tomorrow.
Can all the fans get to their seats before kick off so that you don't obstruct my view during play, you come to watch the blues, not for a pint, come earlier and get your tipple if thats your bag.
Think Mr Chairman will be their tomorrow.
Don't like the new balti pies too sweet, prefer the peppered steak ones.
CTID - All for 1 and 1 for all.
I think Arsenal will just nick it 0-1.
we beat them last year with a supposedly lesser team. No reason not to do it again this season. I'd like to see both Weiss and Petrov start. Youth and pace.
MEN A Friend Dropping In a Great Friend of Manchester City. Let us have a series in MEN of Where Are City Gends now and what are they doing. You can do the same for The Rags if you wish.
manchester city fans are kidding themselves that a riff raff third rate club and a small club come to that like manchester city are going to get top four no chance
I agree - 2 points from these next two games would be quite acceptable (plus a couple of clean sheets), but deep down I can't help feeling that a minimum of 4 points might be on the cards
Come on u mighty Blues - CTID!
Go for it city, get stuck in and give em some stick.........
WE CAN LOSE BOTH THESE GAMES AND STILL FRIGHTEN THE HIERARCHY. TICK TOCK . HERE WE COME. YOU CANT STOP US. HA HA HA .
time to stand and be counted
superman unleashed in more attacking role, city 1.... arsenal 0.... stevie 23rd min, get iiiiiiiin.
COME ON CITY!!!!!!
Without Arshavin we are up against a weakened Arsenal, but we also haven't had our defence tested yet by real skill and we need that experience. Let's hope Arsenal play at their best, then City will either prove they're better or will have the chance to study weaknesses and work on them. But an underperforming Arsenal team won't help us in the long-run.
I'm looking forward to it. It'll be on ESPN Brasil at 11.30 here. Live coverage, like all City's games. Eba!
There was a great photo in yesterdays Daily Mail of Wenger and Fergie sat either side of Plattini at a recent get together of coaches (don't no what Fergie was doing there) they were obviously giving him earache following his recent remarks about young players. Despite their pleadings to him Plattini looked unmoved.Mind you they are both a pair of miserable pleaders!
This is going to be a heated one. Adebayor's comments are certainly going to upset a few people. However, I went to our game at the Emirates 2 seasons ago and was sat with the Gooners. I was genuinely shocked at the abuse Adebayor got - some of it pretty racist - from his own teams fans. Can't really blame him for any ill feeling. As for Bendtner, I think we dodged a bullet there if it's true Hughes tried to sign him last December.
Wish me luck in my bet, I got city to beat Arsenal today and Tottenham to beat Utd. Then I got Burnley to beat Chealsea and City to beat Utd.....was worth a pot as my bookies here in Cape Town offered me R650-1 so I stuck R200 on it... Come on City....
Today I go 2-1 to City
Tottenham 2-1 Utd
Chelsea 0-1 Burnley
Utd 1- 3 City.
You saw it here first.......
so he didn't actually say Wenger will win nothing with pretty football, as it says in the first sentence of this article. At least, I can't see that in his quotations.
steven collins
11/09/2009 at 22:27
Just out of curiosities sake would you care to tell us all where City are in the league at the moment? I could be wrong but aren't they in the top 4? With a 100% record and no goals conceded unlike ramshackle rovers from Salford who have played a game more for the same points, looked awful in all of them and have resorted to clogging because they know they can get away with it. Now let me think would I prefer supporting a club that is the richest in the world, has spent well this summer and is on the up or a club £700mill in debt who lost 2 of its best players over the summer, had to replace one with an injury prone has been on a freebie and is on its way down to mid table anonymity. No brainer really isn't it. You poor rag fans keep chanting your mantra's in the hope that they might come true but you haven't been right yet and you never will be.
CITY FOR LIFE
Superman in SouthAfrica, agree with your forecasts but i think you'll need all the luck in the world re: Chelsea 0 Burnley 1. But wish you luck anyway mate!