City's favourite opponents come to visit
The Premier League’s eagerly awaited return gets underway on Wednesday evening, and I will be focusing on the later kickoff, Manchester City hosting Arsenal. Mikel Arteta returns to the Etihad Stadium in the opposite dugout to his last visit, furthering his footballing education working under Pep Guardiola and helping the club to back to back league titles. The Gunners have had a dreadful season, the underlying numbers of a lower mid table outfit, the ace in their pack being Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Gabonese striker is second in the scoring charts and is the ninth placed sides only hope in this one. City are strong favourites and deservedly so, having loved playing Arsenal in recent years.
Background
Manchester City have won the last six head-to-head encounters, all by two or more goals, not great reading for Arsenal fans. The second placed team have averaged a return of 2.54 goals in home league games this term, they boast an outstanding attacking contingent bolstered by the return of long-term absentee Leroy Sane from injury.
Arsenal are eight points off the Champions League spots and this time around are not even in the top four conversation, their worst season in living memory leading to the sacking of Unai Emery earlier in the season. They are draw specialists especially on the road, recording 13 stalemates, a joint league high alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers. Arteta’s men have taken one point from their last five league away trips, goals is a good angle to get on board with as the last six head-to-heads in Manchester have averaged 4.33 total convertions.
Key men
There is such a great cast set to play in this one, hence the anticipation. The main man has got to be Kevin De Bruyne though, the Belgian creative machine would walk into any team in world football and despite the hosts’ lack of a title challenge in 2019/20, KDB’s levels have still been astonishing. He has contributed nine goals and 16 assists in the league including a sensational brace in the reverse fixture, a 3-0 victory. The 28-year-old is four clear of Trent Alexander-Arnold at the top of the assist charts, and without Euro 2020 to take centre stage under Roberto Martinez, De Bruyne will be hungry to finish the season strongly.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turns 31 on Thursday and has proved his class once again in this terrible at times Arsenal team. The French-born striker has slammed home 17 Premier League goals, two less than Jamie Vardy at the top of the pile, when the chances that have been presented to him have only equated the 12 expected goals, the biggest leap in productivity from chance quality in the division, for players who have found the net. Without him the North Londoners are tottering above the relegation dog fight, sat 14th in the xG table compared to Guardiola’s men in first.
Aymeric Laporte is a huge boost in the City backline, adding to the notion that they should win this one comfortably.
Manchester City – Arsenal Betting Tip
Manchester City to Win + Over 2.5 goals with Betway at odds of 22/25 or 1.88.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Phil Foden's injury time strike brought this through as a winner. 3-0.