Manchester City vs Arsenal: The Opposition

Manchester City face their second major test of the Premier League season when they host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. The Blues have a perfect league record this season and lead the table, while the Gunners, runners-up last season, are two points behind City in second place.

Many expect these two to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season, and while Sunday’s result will not determine the Premier League title winner, it will provide some insight into how the teams perceive each other.

Form
Arsenal are only two points behind the Blues in the table, having won three of their first four games this season. The Gunners got off to a good start with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Wolves, followed by a similar score at Aston Villa a week later. Following a surprise 1-1 draw at home to Brighton, Arsenal won 1-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in their first match back from the international break.

Arsenal, like City, drew 0-0 against Atalanta in their Champions League opener. The Gunners had a mediocre preseason, drawing with Bournemouth and beating United before losing to Liverpool and thrashing Bayer Leverkusen.

Arsenal are getting increasingly close to

Ones to Watch
Goals can come from anywhere on the Arsenal team, but Kai Havertz poses the greatest threat. So far, the former Chelsea player has two goals and ten shots in four matches. He has a 20% goal conversion rate and a 50% shot accuracy rating.

Bukayo Saka has scored one goal so far, and Arsenal has signed City star Raheem Sterling. Despite not scoring for the Gunners, Sterling will return to the Etihad Stadium with something to prove with his new club.

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Despite only scoring one goal, Saka is the main goal-scoring threat. He has four assists and created ten chances in the Premier League this season. He has made 93 passes thus far, 76 of which have been successful. Saka passes with an impressive 82% accuracy.

Havertz has one assist, and he and Saka are the Gunners’ top performers so far. Stop those two, and City has a good chance of taking all three points on Sunday.

Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, is celebrating his fifth year at the helm after leaving City. Since winning the FA Cup in his first season, he has only won the Community Shield twice.

Arteta has overseen 237 Arsenal matches, winning 140 and losing 57, for a win percentage of 59%.

Last Time Out
As the title race heated up, the two drew 0-0 at the Etihad Stadium in March.