Manchester City vs Arsenal

Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for a season-defining Premier League fixture between back-to-back champions Manchester City and current leaders Arsenal.

Manchester City are currently in formidable shape, having won both their quarter-final match against Bayern Munich (4-1 on aggregate) in the Champions League and their semi-final match against Sheffield United (3-0) in the FA Cup. With two games in hand, Pep Guardiola’s men are looking to close the five-point gap at the top of the table currently held by Arsenal and extend their eye-catching six-game winning streak in the Premier League. The ‘Citizens’ have defeated Arsenal twice this season – 3-1 in the Premier League & 1-0 in the FA Cup – and could do it three times in a single campaign for the third time in the club’s history. After racking up a jaw-dropping 17 wins in their last 19 home league outings (D1, L1), they will be confident of pulling off that feat.

In stark contrast to Man City’s purple patch, visiting Arsenal seem to be running out of steam, having drawn three consecutive league matches despite leading 2-0 on two occasions. Mikel Arteta’s side came back from a 3-1 deficit to hold basement boys Southampton to a goal-glutted 3-3 home draw at the weekend, showcasing their impressive scoring prowess again. Indeed, the ‘Gunners’ have scored 2+ goals in their last eight Premier League outings, last enjoying a longer such streak in the competition in 2018 (9). But their title bid now faces a formidable challenge as they meet a Man City side they’ve lost to in 11 consecutive top-flight H2Hs, including a clear-cut 3-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in February. What’s even more concerning for Arteta is that his men have failed to score in seven of their last ten meetings with Man City in the Premier League.