Manchester City are set to take on Arsenal in what is undoubtedly the standout fixture of the English Premier League’s matchday five, seeing the past two season’s top two sides face up against each other for the first time in 2024/25.
Both teams will be aiming to get an upper hand over their likely title rivals at this early stage of the campaign, making this game a potentially dramatic and intriguing encounter.
Manchester City vs Arsenal
Sunday 22 September, 16:30
Etihad Stadium
Manchester City have made a red-hot start to the 2024/25 Premier League season, currently sitting at the top of the table with 12 points from their four opening fixtures, the only team remaining in the division to have taken maximum points.
Despite facing potentially challenging encounters with Chelsea, West Ham and Brentford, Manchester City have been able to win all four matches, scoring an immense 11 goals and conceding just three.
A large part of their early season success is undoubtedly the striking genius of Erling Haaland, with the striker already breaking yet another Premier League record as he has scored nine times in the first four games, breaking Wayne Rooney’s record of eight in the first four.
Man City will be aiming to continue that form when they face Arsenal on Sunday, a match that could see them already move five points clear of their likely title rivals, but Pep Guardiola will be aware that his side have struggled in this fixture in recent matches.
These two sides matched up three times last season, the Community Shield and twice in the Premier League, and the Gunners went unbeaten as they picked up two victories and a draw, as well as keeping cleansheets against Man City in both league outings.
Arsenal have looked uncharacteristically vulnerable in defence at times this season though, despite conceding a league-low one goal, with every team they have faced creating multiple fantastic goalscoring opportunities.
However, Mikel Arteta will be more than happy with the start his team have made, including a brilliant victory against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, and his side will be boosted by the return of Declan Rice for this match after serving his one-game suspension last time out.
Bet9ja Tips
While Man City struggled against Arsenal in all three meetings in 2023/24, Guardiola’s side have undoubtedly made the better start to this season, something that will give them huge confidence heading into this meeting at the Etihad Stadium.
The Gunners are likely to deploy similar tactics as how they played against Man City last season, as well as how they played against Tottenham last week, with a large emphasis on defending before attempting to catch Man City on the counter.
However, with Arsenal allowing multiple opportunities against them this season, which albeit have not been converted, and with Haaland in such phenomenal form in front of goal, we expect Man City to narrowly win this one and the Norwegian star to score yet again.
Bet9ja Odds (at time of writing): Manchester City win: 1.82, Draw: 3.65, Arsenal win: 4.55
Booking Codes:
Man City to win & under 1.5 goals – 7538V83
Erling Haaland to score anytime – 7538XXY
