Undoubtedly, this upcoming match between Arsenal and Manchester City is the most significant game of the 2022-23 Premier League season. The outcome could potentially determine the title winners, as both clubs have demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout this campaign.
However, Arsenal’s poor recent record against Manchester City is a major obstacle to their hopes of winning their first league title since 2003-04 when Arsene Wenger was in charge. In fact, the Gunners have lost their last 11 Premier League matches against the Citizens, marking their longest losing streak against any single opponent in the league’s history.
Moreover, Arsenal has lost in all six of their Premier League visits to the Etihad Stadium during Pep Guardiola’s reign as Manchester City manager and haven’t won while away at Manchester City since January 2015, a match in which they won 2-0.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s current manager, was previously an assistant to Guardiola at Manchester City. However, he has lost all six of his Premier League games against the Citizens as Arsenal’s manager, making them the only team he has faced but failed to beat in the competition.
Arsenal desperately needs to win this match, with Manchester City only five points behind them with two games in hand. Scoring goals, however, has been a significant challenge for the Gunners in recent years at the Etihad Stadium. They have only netted three goals in their last ten Premier League matches against Manchester City, failing to score in seven of those games.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, influential central defender William Saliba is out due to injury, while Mohamed Elneny and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also on the treatment table. Additionally, midfielder Granit Xhaka is a doubt after missing their recent match against Southampton with an illness. On the other hand, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who won the Premier League title with Manchester City in the previous two seasons, are both fit to face their former club. The only confirmed absentee in Manchester City’s pre-match team news is Dutchman Nathan Ake, who is out with a hamstring injury he sustained against Bayern Munich.
Currently, the Gunners are leading by five points at the top of the table, but they have played two more games than Manchester City. Therefore, a win for them would extend their lead to eight points and place their fate firmly in their own hands. On the other hand, a victory for City would provide them with a clear advantage, and even a draw would be considered a positive outcome, considering they have played fewer games than Arsenal.
Players to Watch: Kevin De Bruyne | Erling Haaland | Bukayo Saka | Gabriel Jesus
Predictions:
Erling Haaland to Score First for Man. City
