In the biggest game of the New Year’s Day schedule, Arsenal welcome the superstars of Manchester City to the Emirates. Can Pep Guardiola’s men continue their incredible run of form, or will an in-form home side get one over on the champions?
Manchester City will be seeking to register their 11th English Premier League (EPL) triumph in a row, when they travel to north London on Saturday afternoon, to do battle with Arsenal.
The Sky Blues are currently eight points ahead of second-placed, Chelsea, at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the home side sit in fourth position, with a four point advantage over fifth-placed, West Ham United.
After a poor start to the 2021/22 campaign, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have recently collected successive EPL wins over Southampton, West Ham, Leeds United, and Norwich City.
Manchester City have now won each of their last 10 league games. A run that has seen them rise to the top of the table and amass 50 points from 20 matches so far.
In Arsenal team news, there will probably be just one change from the side that started the five-goal thrashing of Norwich last time out, with forward, Emile Smith Rowe, potentially coming in for Gabriel Martinelli. Alexandre Lacazette is again expected to play as the attacking focal point, despite rumours that the Frenchman may leave the club.
For City, Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus might be forced to make way in the starting XI. Therefore allowing Phil Foden to play as a false nine, with Riyad Mahrez coming back into a wide position.
Arsenal will be feeling confident after a strong run of results, so we are expecting this to be no walkover for City at the Emirates Stadium. However, we think that the blue half of Manchester will prevail in the end. Our prediction is 3-1 to Guardiola’s charges, with the visitors netting twice in the second half.
Arsenal possible starting XI:
Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Ødegaard, Smith Rowe; Lacazette
Manchester City possible starting XI:
Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Aké; B Silva, Gündoğan, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling
