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While it would perhaps be unjust to label a matchday five clash between Manchester City and Arsenal as title deciding, the fact that City finished only two points clear of the Gunners at the Premier League summit last season en-route to their fourth-successive top-flight crown, symbolises the importance of this game.
There was nothing to separate these two sides in this corresponding fixture last season (0-0), a result which forms part of City’s 32-game unbeaten home league run (W26, D6). A 2-1 comeback victory against Brentford last week bookends that run, and they ought to feel confident of seeing their streak increase given their nine-match unbeaten H2H home league run (W7, D2).
They’ll likely have to perform better than they did in midweek when they drew 0-0 with Inter Milan in UEFA Champions League (UCL) action. But City boss Pep Guardiola has had the upper hand against his former assistant manager, Mikel Arteta, winning seven of their nine Premier League duels to date (W7, D1, L1), while he’s won more managerial games against Arsenal (20) than against any other club.
Arteta will feel that record only tells half the story, as Arsenal won two of the three H2Hs the clubs played out last season (D1). The Gunners opened their UCL account with a 0-0 draw away to Atalanta in midweek, but domestically they already trail City by two points after four games (W3, D1), and they’ll be acutely aware that if that gap stretches to five here, then overthrowing the Manchester City juggernaut becomes a difficult task for a side who haven’t won a Premier League title since 2003/04.
While the three points that will see them leapfrog City is the ultimate goal, there’s a chance for history here for Arsenal, who incredibly haven’t trailed in their last 11 away league games (W10, D1). No side in Premier League history has ever achieved that feat in 12 successive games, but having trailed at half-time on six of their last seven top-flight visits to the Etihad, their record could be up in smoke before the break.
Key battle: Erling Haaland is one goal away from joining the Manchester City 100 club. His two career goals against Arsenal came after the 80th minute, but seven of his nine league goals this season arrived before half-time. Gabriel’s header decided last week’s North London derby (W 1-0), but he’s lost more career games against City (six) than against any other opponent.
Hot stat: Arsenal have kept a clean sheet in nine of their last ten away league games.
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