Premier League: Can Arsenal Rescue their Dream in Manchester?

Manchester City vs Arsenal

Well this is it; this is the Premier League decider…well, only if you’re an Arsenal fan I suppose. Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has said his team need to beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday…and he’s right.

Following a run of three draws Arsenal have effectively handed the Sky Blues six points and Pep Guardiola’s side is now just five behind and with two games in hand. Should Arsenal win on Wednesday then the title is in the balance. If it’s a draw then it’s a big advantage to City. A home win and it’s as good as over.

The latest Premier League 2023 betting odds suggest Manchester City are about to collect their fifth Premier League title in six years and a third in a row, while the Gunners are aiming for a first league triumph in 20 years. The hosts will come into the game with more confidence, breezing through an FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United while Arsenal were frustrated by bottom club Southampton who took a point away from the Emirates with a 3-3 draw.    

Talking Points

City are beginning to look unbeatable

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City have just recorded their tenth win in 11 games, and the draw was against FC Bayern when they had pretty much won the tie in the first leg. In all honesty the Sky Blues glided through their Champions League tie with the Bavarians and could have easily been five up at the halfway stage. They are now priced at 1.65 to win their long awaited European crown, as well as being 1.25 to win the Premier League.

The treble is very much on.  

Riyad Mahrez scored a brilliant hat-trick as City breezed through to the FA Cup final in their 3-0 win over Sheffield United and they will now meet Manchester United in the final and are priced at around 1.40 to win that trophy. Any question that Erling Haaland had unsettled the balance of the team have now been rubbished, as both the Norwegian striker and his team have been mightily impressive in recent weeks, City scoring 31 goals in the past eight games and Haaland racking up an incredible 48 in all competitions. . 

So how can Arsenal win this game?  

Arteta needs his team to put in their best performance of the campaign on Wednesday, as well as stopping the City juggernaut his front men have to breach the Sky Blue defence. Gabriel Martinelli has been simply superb this season. The Brazil star has come of age and has been one of the standout performers in the league; and we can count on him to make more spectacular Premier League 2023 highlights before the campaign ends. Alongside Martinelli is his countryman Gabriel Jesus and, with Bukayo Saka on the opposite flank, this is a front three with plenty of goals in it, backed up by skipper Martin Odegaard who has weighed in with nine goals and eight assists from an advanced midfield position.

The bad news for Arsenal is that star defender William Saliba is highly unlikely to make this game, and having missed the last five matches since picking up a knock against Sporting Lisbon, the Frenchman has watched his side struggle, conceding nine goals in the last five games. Arsenal’s front six need to press when they are out of possession and minimise the space for the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and the mercurial Jack Grealish to work.

And when the chances come the Gunners’ aim must be spot on.      

History

Arsenal have the edge over Manchester City in the head to heads over the past 30 years, winning 27 to the Sky Blues’ 24 while there have been ten draws. But the Gunners haven’t won any of the last seven meetings, and were beaten 3-1 at the Emirates as De Bruyne, Grealish and Haaland all scored for the Sky Blues while Saka converted a penalty for the Gunners. 

In terms of recent form the hosts are much stronger with five wins and a draw from the last six games, while Arsenal have won two, drawn three and lost one.      

Betting Tip

Does anyone in the SBOTOP team think the Gunners can do it? Well, with a home record of 13 victories, one draw and one defeat this season the odds on a Manchester City win speak volumes at 1.50. Arsenal are a fine team and, at odds of 4.74 to win, they know they have a chance to re-ignite their title challenge, while the draw is slightly shorter at 3.97.

But Arsenal’s 3-3 draw with the Saints will have been energy sapping, both physically and mentally, while City could rest their key players once they had seen off the Blades.  All the cards are stacked in the hosts’ favour and, for a correct score line, 2-0 at odds of 7.52 won’t be far off the mark.  

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.