Manchester City vs Arsenal preview, team news, probable line-ups: Will Gunners break the Etihad jinx?

PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester City vs Arsenal preview, team news, probable line-ups: Will Gunners break the Etihad jinx?

Kiplagat Sang 09:00 - 26.04.2023

City have won all six Premier League home matches against Arsenal by an aggregate score of 17-3.

Manchester City host Arsenal in what is seen as a game that will have a huge impact on the direction of the Premier League title race.

For City, the game comes at a time when their morale is sky high; they saw off Bayern Munich to book a place in the Champions League semi-final, defeated Sheffield United to reach the FA Cup final, and after their win over Leicester City, closed in on Arsenal at the top.

At home, City have played 12 games at the Etihad in 2023 and won them all.

On the other hand, Arsenal come into the game with a somewhat bruised ego. They have dropped points in their previous three games after draws against Liverpool, West Ham United, and Southampton.

But a win at the Etihad will give them a new lease on confidence as the race tightens.

Team news

Nathan Ake, who suffered a thigh problem against Bayern, will not be available for Pep Guardiola. The Dutchman has been a key defensive asset and eyes will be keen to see how the home side will fare without him.

Aymeric Laporte is expected to fill Ake’s position at the left of a three-man defense line.

Arsenal will continue to operate without William Saliba. This means the fans will yet again witness a Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes defensive partnership.

Granit Xhaka remains a doubt after missing the Southampton match due to illness. Should he fail to pass a late fitness test, then Mikel Arteta might fall back on Fabio Vieira, Jorginho or Leandro Trossard in his place.

What are the stats saying?

Arsenal have lost 11 consecutive top-flight games to Manchester City, their longest losing streak versus any opponent in the club's league history.

City have won eight of their past nine league games, including the previous six in a row.

Arsenal could score and concede multiple goals in four successive top-flight matches for the first time since a run of six between December 1960 to February 1961, which included a 5-4 home win over Manchester City.

Arteta has lost all six of his Premier League meetings with Manchester City as a manager - they are the only side the Spaniard has failed to beat in the division.

The Gunners have conceded two or more times in six of their past 11 top-flight games, but they have also scored at least twice in each of the last eight Premier League fixtures.

Probable line-ups:

Manchester City: Ederson; Stones, Dias, Laporte; Mahrez, Rodri, Gundogan, Grealish, De Bruyne, Silva, Haaland.

Arsenal: Ramsdale, Ben White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.