Premier League: Road for Arteta and Arsenal Is Only Getting Bumpier

Manchester City vs Arsenal

A Premier League trip to the reigning champions, Manchester City, fresh from putting five past newly promoted Norwich City – just what Arsenal wanted!

As if the Gunners’ start to the season had not been miserable enough, they now travel to a stadium where they have won only once in the past decade.

Sure, there are mitigating factors – the squad has been hit by Covid and injuries aplenty in the opening two weeks.

That was evident in what turned out to be ‘men against boys’ in their home defeat to Chelsea.

Even accounting for those factors, there was less excuse for the way they went down to newly promoted Brentford in their opening encounter.

The reality, then, is that Arsenal are in a “difficult and unprecedented situation” after their record-breaking poor start to the season, according to boss Mikel Arteta.

After 2-0 defeats by Brentford and now Chelsea, they have lost their first two league games without scoring for the first time in their history.

And while new recruits deserve time to settle and players need to return from injury and illness, the pressure grows on Arteta – someone I believe the club should show faith in – with each passing defeat.

So, what chance of the Gunners getting off the mark at the Etihad Stadium this Saturday lunchtime?

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Premier League

Talking Points

Slim, it would appear.

In Arsenal and Arteta’s defence, it should be remembered, now is an ideal time to play the North Londoners, who will surely be stronger after the early September international break.

They were without their two star forwards – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette – plus Willian and back-up keeper Alex Runarsson because of Covid against Brentford.

Aubameyang was back on the bench against Chelsea but, at the same time, their main summer signing, £50 million centre-back Ben White, was out after testing positive.

Thomas Partey, Gabriel and Eddie Nketiah are all injured too so no wonder they’ve had no Premier League 2021 highlights to cheer so far in 2021/22.

Jack Grealish continues to impress in his new Premier League club Manchester City — Manchester City’s Jack Grealish celebrates scoring their second goal against Norwich City

As for City, it’s not actually all roses at the reigning champions.

They are still lacking an out-and-out centre forward (and are unlikely to retain their title without one,) despite an impressive showing from Brazilian Gabriel Jesus in the Norwich rout in which he set up three goals.

Yet a squad which such strength will always be there or thereabouts in the final reckoning – to prove the point new record signing Jack Grealish played in that match with Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez both coming off the bench to join Grealish on the scoresheet.

I expect a more resolute Arsenal to rock up in Manchester on Saturday lunchtime and, perhaps, even embark on damage limitation.

The final outcome should be predictable though.

History

While Arsenal have vast superiority in the overall head-to-head record, City have held a distinct upper hand since their takeover in 2008 saw them inherit new-found wealth.

That included success in all three clashes last season. City won the respective league games 1-0, courtesy of goals from Sterling, including in the corresponding fixture.

They also won 4-1 at Arsenal in the League Cup quarter-final when Jesus, Mahrez, Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte were the marksmen.

It meant the Gunners have now lost their last eight games against City in the Premier League to equal their club record of consecutive league defeats against the same opponent: versus Leeds United from May 1973 to October 1976 in League Division One.

Arsenal have not got a particularly good record at the Etihad Stadium.

Aside from a surprising 2-0 win there in January 2015, secured by goals from Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud, the Gunners have not triumphed since 2010 – and that was a match in which City played 85 minutes with 10 men.

Although Arsenal have enjoyed success over their opponents in the FA Cup and Community Shield in recent seasons, they have only tasted victory twice in their last 14 meetings – one was a Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang inspired FA Cup semi-final triumph in July last year.

As I say, Arsenal still have the overall advantage with 98 wins to City’s 60 – the other 45 encounters have ended all square.

Betting Tip

	Manchester City vs Arsenal	Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.11
	August 28, 19:30 (GMT+8)

Have Arsenal ever been outsiders in a league match to the extent they are with the SBOTOP Premier League 2021 betting odds: 1X2 @ 11.00 and Asian Handicap +1.50 @ 2.14?

The odds on City, priced 1X2 @ 1.26 and Asian Handicap -1.75 @ 2.05, tell their own story.

I do think City will win but I do not think it will be a rout – Arsenal have to produce a showing to save face and, possibly, their manager (although I don’t know who they would replace him with anyway).