Manchester City To Face Arsenal In A Premier League Title Showdown This Wednesday

Two teams have dominated the Premier League title race this season, and on Wednesday night a potentially decisive meeting between the two will take place.

Current title holders Manchester City, who lie second in the table at present, will host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, with a kick off time of 8pm (shown live on BT Sport in the UK).

The Gunners lead over the Citizens, which once was 11 points (albeit with City having a game in hand) has now been reduced to just five points, and City now have two games in hand on Arsenal after the Gunners dropped six points in their last three games, drawing all of them.

That said, Arsenal are on a ten-game unbeaten run, winning seven of those games, but Manchester City’s unbeaten run stretches to 17 games, harking back to their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on the 5^th February.

All in all, it promises to be a hugely exciting clash with the winner taking a massive step towards claiming the Premier League title at the direct expense of their nearest rivals.

Bet365 Sport offer a massive selection of betting markets on the game, as well as extensive In Play options when the game is in progress, from 8pm on Wednesday night.

Let’s now take a look to the big game this week in a bit more detail.

Manchester City v Arsenal Preview

Historical Record

• Played – 207
• Man City Wins – 64
• Draws – 45
• Arsenal Wins – 98

It is interesting to note something here and that is while Arsenal have over a third more wins in this fixture than Manchester City, it is actually Manchester City that have by far and away the better record between the two in more recent times.

I fact, in the last 15 games between the two teams, Manchester City have won an incredible 14 of those games, losing just the once. In fact, Arsenal have not beaten Manchester City in the Premier League since 2015.

City have also won all the last seven games between the two, including two this season, a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League and also a 1-0 FA Cup win at the Etihad.

This does paint a gloomy picture for Arsenal, especially given that the Gunners really could do with winning this game, rather than just avoiding defeat at the hands of their title rivals.

Betting Trends From The Data

• Both teams have scored in 8 of Arsenal’s last nine games.
• Manchester City have scored three goals or more in seven of their last eight games, scoring 31 goals and conceding just four in that period of time.
• Arsenal have drawn their last three games, scoring and conceding seven in those games.
• Both teams have scored in just three of the last ten games between these two teams.
• There has been Over 2.5 Goals in five of the last ten games between the two.
• Manchester City have six of those seven clean sheets, with Arsenal just one.
• Arsenal have lost seven and drawn one of their last eight visits to the Etihad.
• In the last seven games between the two, Manchester City have outscored Arsenal by 17 goals to 3. In the last 15 games it is even worse reading for Arsenal as City have outscored them by 35 goals to 7.

Team News And Prediction – Manchester City

Pep Guardiola will be without one player for the game, defender Nathan Ake who has filled in right across the back line for City this season, will miss the game due to a thigh injury.

However, Phil Foden has recovered from an appendix removal surgery and will be fit for the game.

Manchester City Predicted XI – (4-3-3)

• GK – Ederson
• DR – Walker
• DL – Akanji
• DC – Ruben Dias
• DC – Stones
• DMC – Rodri
• MC – Gundogan
• MC – De Bruyne
• AMR – Mahrez
• AML – Grealish
• AC – Haaland

Team News And Prediction – Arsenal

Mikel Arteta is without long-term absentees Takahiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny while William Saliba is not yet fit to play meaning that Rob Holding will likely continue to deputise.

One player that will be back is Granit Xhaka who has recovered from his illness that kept him out of the Southampton game on Friday. Fabio Vieira will likely step down to the bench.

Arsenal Predicted XI – (4-3-3)

• GK – Ramsdale
• DR – White
• DL – Zinchenko
• DC – Holding
• DC – Gabriel
• DMC – Thomas Partey
• DMC – Xhaka
• MC – Odegaard
• AML – Martinelli
• AMR – Saka
• AC – Gabriel Jesus

Who Will End Up On Top In The Title Race?

While Wednesday night’s game is a huge one in the context of the title race, there are still another seven games for Manchester City and six for Arsenal to complete in the Premier League, all of which could have big implications if either team were to drop points.

It is also worth noting that Manchester City also have an FA Cup Final to play in June, as well as two Champions League Semi Finals against Real Madrid, and potentially a Champions League final to play too.

That means City have a far more congested end to the season than Arsenal, but it is also fair to say that in the Premier League at least, City do have an easier run in over their remaining games than Arsenal.

Manchester City

• Wed 26^th Apr – (H) v Arsenal (1^st)
• Sun 30^th Apr – (A) v Fulham (9^th)
• Wed 3^rd May – (H) v West Ham United (13^th)
• Sat 6^th May – (H) v Leeds United (16^th)
• Tue 9^th May – (A) v Real Madrid (Champions League Semi Final 1^st Leg)
• Sun 14^th May – (A) v Everton (18^th)
• Wed 17^th May – (H) v Real Madrid (Champions League Semi Final 2^nd Leg)
• Sun 21^st May – (H) v Chelsea (11^th)
• Wed 24^th May – (A) v Brighton (8^th)
• Sun 28^th May – (A) v Brentford (10^th)
• Sat 3^rd Jun – (N) v Manchester United (FA Cup Final)
• Sat 10^th Jun – (N) – Potential Champions League Final (v Inter or AC Milan)

Arsenal

• Wed 26^th Apr – (A) v Manchester City (2^nd)
• Tue 2^nd May – (H) v Chelsea (11^th)
• Sun 7^th May – (A) v Newcastle United (3^rd)
• Sun 14^th May – (H) v Brighton (8^th)
• Sat 20^th May – (A) v Nottingham Forest (19^th)
• Sun 28^th May – (H) v Wolves (13^th)

Indeed, for Arsenal, it is likely the next four games, City away, Chelsea at home, Newcastle away and Brighton at home will determine their chances of lifting the league title.

What Are Our Tips For The Manchester City v Arsenal Game?

I do wish I could give Arsenal fans some crumbs of comfort here, but pretty much any way that you want to look at this game, City have the advantage.

• They have an outstanding recent record v Arsenal (winning 14 of the last 15)
• They have scored far more goals in those games than the Gunners.
• City have an almost full strength squad.
• Arsenal have the poorer recent form compared to City, who are unbeaten in 17.
• City have already beaten Arsenal home and away this season.

As such, it is very hard to make any other prediction other than a win for Manchester City here, but with the home side odds on to land the win, I’d back these bets instead.

• Man City to win and both teams to score – 2/1
• Correct Score – Manchester City to win 3-1 – 12/1
• Jack Grealish (Manchester City) – Anytime Goalscorer – 3/1

Good luck if you have a bet on the game and remember to watch the game from 8pm on Wednesday night!