Arsenal vs Manchester City

Emirates Stadium is the venue as Arsenal and Manchester City go head-to-head in a mammoth Premier League top-table six-pointer this midweek.

Not long ago, Arsenal seemed to be on the verge of waltzing away with a first Premier League title in 20 years on the back of a phenomenal 19-match league start (W16, D2, L1). However, Mikel Arteta’s men have gone winless in back-to-back top-flight games for the first time this season (D1, L1), letting second-placed Man City close the gap to only three points. Despite heading into proceedings as one of only two sides yet to lose a Premier League home fixture this season (W8, D2), the ‘Gunners’ must defy history if they’re to return to winning ways. In addition to suffering defeat in ten consecutive top-flight encounters against Man City, the London heavyweights have lost their last eight league clashes against reigning champions! Moreover, the ‘Cityzens’ remain the only Premier League side Arteta has failed to beat since quitting his assistant-manager job at the Etihad Stadium to join Arsenal in 2019 (L5).

In the meantime, Manchester City took full advantage of Arsenal’s underwhelming 1-1 draw against Brentford last weekend to bolster their title hopes with a comfortable 3-1 home triumph over Aston Villa. But despite bouncing back from a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on their last league travel, the ‘Cityzens’ may have lost Premier League top-scorer Erling Haaland to injury. With the Norwegian’s availability hanging by a thread, the visitors’ hopes of halting a dreadful three-game losing run on the road could be in jeopardy. However, Pep Guardiola, who painted his 250th Premier League match in charge of Man City with flying colors at the weekend, should be confident about toppling an Arsenal side he has defeated in the last six competitive H2Hs.