ALMOST all football fans agree that the team that will go home with full points in the English Premier League (PL) match between Manchester City and Arsenal this weekend will be the one that will walk away with the title of this league.
Pep Guardiola’s Man City will welcome his best friend Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in a much-anticipated match on Sunday at 5.30pm at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester.
Since the start of the season, Arsenal have shown signs of strength compared to the past, it is clear that they have learned from their mistakes.
Because of this, hopes have grown stronger that the hunger for the title that Arsenal fans kept in 2004 may end.
Unexpectedly, Arteta’s team hit the mud, and started to let the games go.
This includes the FA Cup where Arsenal were eliminated by Southampton playing in the Championship.
The way City won against Chelsea in the last game, if you compare it to Arsenal who were beaten by Bournemouth at home, it explains why the experts of this game in the world do not give Arteta anything.
This opened an opportunity for City to get closer to Arsenal since Guardiola’s team is only six points behind the Gunners, who have played one more game.
City have a history of not holding on at these times (April and May) which makes them dangerous for Arsenal who are showing signs of a drop in form at a bad time.
City recently beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final. This in itself is a burden for the Gunners but there are also those who see it as a motivation.
In the last five games in all competitions Arsenal have won one.
In midweek, after Arsenal progressed to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a 0-0 draw against CP Sporting of Portugal, Declan Rice speaking to Arsenal TV said:
“We don’t care about those who see that our recent form indicates that we will give away points on Sunday. We know what we have to do and we have not forgotten that everything is in our hands.”
Guardiola compared the game to the final of the most important competition.
“All the games we have left this season are important, but Arsenal’s is like the final of them all,” said Guardiola on Man City TV.
Arsenal topped the log with 70 points in 32 games, which means that a win by City with 64 will mean that (City) has three points left since they are a game behind.
Targeted players:
Manchester City: Ryan Cherki, Erling Halaand no Rodri
Arsenal: Victor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke no David Raya