City – Arsenal Match Preview
This Premier League weekend reaches its climax on Sunday afternoon and even if Arsenal fans may not like it, there’s no way of talking about this fixture without mentioning the 6-3 scoreline of last season’s equivalent clash. Arsenal though, finally with an almost complete team, will travel to the home of 2014 champions, Manchester City. The Gunners’ have failed miserably against the Top teams in recent times conceding 17 of their 41 goals last season in 3 games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea. They will have to fair much better this season if they don’t want to lose touch with the Top Four spot. Calum Chambers and Kieran Gibbs both missed the win over Stoke but should this weekend, though Gibbs faces a late fitness test, but Chambers will have to cover for Mathieu Debuchy who dislocated his shoulder in their last match. For the rest, Arsene Wenger will be tempted to play the same team as last week, but the return of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Özil could see the Welshman back into central midfield and the German upfront with Sanchez and Giroud.
City, on the other-hand, will be buoyed by the return of Agüero and Kompany, even if their draw against Everton has seen them fall below Chelsea once again, after just having drawn level. The hosts won’t expect as easy a time as Arsenal have given them in the past, and surely the Gunners won’t make the same mistakes as last season. However, City are still likely to pick up the three points here. They will be without Yaya Touré and new boy, Wilfried Bony, away at the Africa Cup of Nations, but will have a full squad to choose from.
Our Probable Formations:
Manchester City (4.2.3.1) Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Mangala, Clichy, Fernando, Fernandinho, Navas, Silva, Nasri and Aguero.
Arsenal (4.2.3.1) Ospina, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Sanchez and Giroud.
Some Hot Tips:
Man City have won 6 of their last 7 home matches in the Premier League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 6 of Arsenal’s last 7 games in the Premier League.
Arsenal have scored at least 2 goals in 6 of their last 7 matches in the Premier League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Man City’s last 3 home games in the Premier League.
Man City have scored at least 2 goals in their last 3 home matches in the Premier League.