English Premier League - Manchester City vs. Arsenal - Preview & Prediction
Still bitter after their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in their very last game just over three months ago, 2nd-placed Manchester City returns to work with a home contest against 9th-placed Arsenal, who are unbeaten in eight straight Premier League matches. Kick-off - at 15:15 PM ET on Wednesday, June 17.
Manchester City Looking To Improve
Still eagerly awaiting the news if they have successfully appealed their two-year ban from the Champions League because of fair-play breaches, Manchester City returns to league action, being one of four Premier League teams still having a game in hand. After 28 matches so far this season, the Citizens sit 2nd in the Premier League table (W18 D3 L7). In case of a win on Wednesday, they can extend their lead over 3rd-placed Leicester City to seven points. The team has, however, lost two of its past four league games (W2 L2) after going unbeaten for five outings prior (W4 D1).
Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero, who has been Manchester City’s top scorer for the past eight seasons, leads the team with 16 league markers. Goalie Ederson, meanwhile, sits 18th in England’s top division with 50 saves. He has picked up nine cleans sheets in 25 appearances this year, conceding a goal every 91 minutes on average. The Citizens have netted the highest amount of Premier League strikes so far during the current campaign (68), while delivering the absolute highest quantity of shots per game (19.4). The team is top of the league in both ball possession (61.6%) and passing accuracy (88.9%).
Arsenal Out To Extend Unbeaten Run
Just like Aston Villa, Sheffield United and Manchester City, Arsenal also have some unfinished business from a previous Matchday, holding a game in hand over the rest of the Premier League. That means - in case of a victory, the Gunners can improve on their current 9th-place standing (W9 D13 L6) by moving as high as to the 6th position in the league, cutting the current eight-point gap to top-four to just five points. Arsenal has won their last three Premier League fixtures and are unbeaten in eight league outings (W4 D4). Alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers, they lead England's top tier with 13 draws.
Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finds himself at the top of his team’s scoring table, having netted 17 league markers, with six of them buried in his last eight Premier League contests. Bernd Leno, meanwhile, is 2nd in the goalkeeper chart, having turned away 104 shots in 28 starts. He has collected seven clean sheets and allows a goal every 70 minutes of play. Arsenal has scored the 8th highest number of goals so far this year (40), while delivering the 14th highest amount of shots per game (11.1). The team is 5th in ball possession (54.2%) and 4th in passing accuracy (83.8%).
Prediction
Arsenal has drawn their last five Premier League road games, but have never managed to tie six travels in a row. A stalemate, let alone a victory, will definitely come as a difficult task for the Gunners. Especially with the last six fixtures of this series in all competitions going the Manchester City way, with the Citizens scoring three goals in five of those matches, ending three of them with a score of 3-0, and two - with a count of 3-1. Sergio Aguero has scored 10 snipes in his last 12 appearances versus Arsenal in all comps, banking a hat-trick in this fixture last season.
Best bets:
Manchester City to win (-275)
Both teams to score (-155)
Correct score: 3-1 to Manchester City (+950)
Sergio Aguero to score two or more goals (+275)