Arsenal wanted to provoke Manchester City into a war during last weekend's Premier League clash but the champions are ready for the challenge, City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, dealing a huge blow to their hopes of winning a fifth straight Premier League title.
Sterling marked his maiden Arsenal start following his transfer deadline day move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta stood by Arsenal's defensive tactics in their explosive Premier League clash with Manchester City, saying he would have been "thick" not to learn from previous clashes.
But for much of Pep Guardiola's time in charge of City, it was Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool who were consistently their title rivals.
John Stones' 98th minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Manchester City against 10-man Arsenal in a bad-tempered clash between the two favourites for the Premier League title on Sunday.
Spaniard Raya dived low to his right to beat out Mateo Retegui's spot kick in the 51st minute then sprang across his goal to claw away the forward's follow up header.
Arsenal players are unfazed by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland's goal-scoring rampage, midfielder Jorginho said vouching for the Gunners' confidence ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash with City.
The Gunners shrugged off the absence of key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to remain undefeated this season and close within two points of leaders Manchester City.
Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is "desperate to land Neymar," while "Woodward's rival at City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, is working just as hard to pull off the biggest transfer coup in history for Messi."
Goals from Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre Gignac sealed a 2-0 win for France over Germany, but there was no joy at the end of the match.
Arsenal were humbled by Championship side Sheffield Wednesday and Chelsea lost to Stoke City in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday night.
Olivier Giroud came off the bench to help give Arsenal a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich and keep alive their Champions League hopes.
Second-half goals from Eduardo Vargas and Alexis Sanchez saw Chile to a 2-0 win over Brazil in their World Cup qualifier on Thursday.
The former Gunner is looking forward to facing Arsenal and says Chelsea must win after a poor start to the new Premier League season.
Having helped the Blaugrana to four titles, the Argentine attacker is already the finest footballer to play Champions League.
Liverpool and Arsenal had to settle for a goalless draw in an entertaining Premier League encounter on Monday.
The Reds have historically struggled to win in north London, but Brendan Rodgers is confident that he has found a blueprint for a rare victory.
The English football season returns on Sunday when Premier League champions Chelsea meet FA Cup winners Arsenal in the FA Community Shield at Wembley.