Premier League: It’s Here, Manchester City vs Arsenal

Manchester City vs Arsenal

The Sorcerer faces the apprentice; the champions meet the challengers. And Sunday 31^st of March, Easter Sunday no less, could turn out to be the most dramatic day of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign so far. 

We’ve been waiting for two weeks to get this blockbuster clash on and now that the International break is over, it’s here. Manchester City versus Arsenal is the clash of the weekend.

The league is building up to a spectacular climax, and this meeting in Manchester brings together the league leaders and the favourites, currently in first and third places and sandwiching Liverpool, who take on Brighton at home on Sunday.

Should Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City win this game, they will be firmly on track to repeat their treble achievement of 2023 when Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal faded in the Premier League run-in.

Arteta spent three seasons at the Etihad Stadium as assistant coach to Guardiola. The two men had first met at the Barcelona Academy and have become great friends, but on Saturday, once they have embraced on arrival, the niceties will be on hold for 100 minutes.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride folks.

Talking Points

Pep’s International headache

The City boss apparently joked that he would “come after” his players if they got injured during the international break, so a couple of his players might well be looking over their shoulders right now.

Guardiola advised his players to be careful with their workload, and the news that Manuel Akanji pulled out of international duty with Switzerland will give him mixed emotions.

The Etihad medical staff will take a close look at the defender, who has played a big role in City’s campaign featuring in 34 games so far, and now he faces a race to be fit for Sunday.

Elsewhere, wing-back Kyle Walker limped off after 21 minutes of England’s loss to Brazil and then utility man John Stones was replaced after just 10 minutes of England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium on Tuesday, and we await more news on his situation.

With Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, and Rodri all fit and firing, Pep has plenty of resource in these areas, but he wants the strongest hand available.

City fans will be delighted to see that Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish are back on grass. Both have been nursing groin injuries and neither went away with their international teams, and those decisions look to be paying dividends as they are in contention for a return against Arsenal.

De Bruyne, in particular, is a key man for the Sky Blues. He has made 13 assists in his 14 games since returning in January, and his relationship with Erling Haaland is simply sensational. The big Norwegian has scored 18 goals for the league season and, alongside Phil Foden who has scored 11, he is a prolific match-winner.       

The Premier League 2024 betting odds have backed the Sky Blues from the get go and, while Guardiola may have to shuffle his squad a little in the run-in, the quality in depth he has is unrivalled.

If you finish ahead of City, you will almost certainly win the league.

Saka and Martinelli on track  

And that has been the Arsenal aim throughout this campaign. With 10 games to go, they are in pole position. And while Arteta too has some injury concerns in his smaller squad, it looks like two key players are in good shape to face City on Sunday.

Bukayo Saka with 13 goals and eight assists has been the Gunners’ most productive player. He didn’t travel with England and he is in full training, as is Gabriel Martinelli.

The Brazilian winger has been a livewire on the left wing and, if Walker doesn’t make it for Manchester City, that may provide an opening for the visitors. 

Midfield ace Declan Rice took the captain’s armband for England’s clash with Belgium on Tuesday night, and he has been a key addition to Arteta’s squad, adding strength, leadership, and dynamism to the engine room.

The 25-year-old has won 50 caps for England, and he is beginning to look as influential for Arsenal as the great Patrick Vieira did in the Gunners’ 2000s heyday. 

As well as providing vital cover for the Arsenal defence, Rice has scored six goals and made five assists in the Premier League, and his battle with Rodri will be a key factor in the outcome of this game.

History

The Gunners have a slender lead in the head-to-head results over the past 30 years with 29 victories to the Sky Blues’ 25, and Arteta’s side came out on top when they met at the Emirates in October, winning 1-0 as Martinelli’s late strike took a deflection off Nathan Ake.

Manchester City won this fixture last season with a thumping 4-1 scoreline, and Arsenal have failed to win on their last nine visits to the Etihad.

City’s home league record this season is 10 wins and four draws, and I suspect Arteta would snap your hand off for a point on Sunday (though he may not admit it).

Betting Tip

With Manchester City odds on to win this game, this could be a pivotal moment in the title race, and Liverpool fans will have their eyes and ears on the Premier League 2024 updates as the fly out of the Etihad.

Arsenal are at SBOTOP odds of 3.46 and the draw is at 3.35, but I think home advantage will tip this match in City’s direction.  

 

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