By Muheeb Mashood
Arsenal sets to host aggressive Manchester City at the Emirates stadium in the English Premier League campaign on Sunday.
The two teams will roar in front of spectators, battling for the top seat in the table.
The defending champions Manchester City
commenced the 2023/2024 season with a thrilling form after they won all their first six opening matches, and lost the seventh game to Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking the end of their unbeaten run.
Arteta’s men are not pulling back as well, displaying a wonderful start as the Gunners maintain their unbeaten run in EPL, striving to be among the favourite winners of the ongoing battle.
Man City overtook Arsenal to win the previous EPL title after the latter failed to fuel the title race in the last seven matches. Especially when Guardiola’s men thwarted their wish in a Champion’s deciding match, hammering North London 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
However, Arsenal repaired the loss when they played City at the Wembley stadium in the final contest of Community Shield where they won Manchester City 4-2 in the penalty shootouts after a 1-1 draw. Thanks to Leandro Trossard’s injury time goal.
Arteta/Guardialo Head-to-Head
The Spanish manager Mikel Arteta was an assistant coach under Pep Guardiola before a move to his former team, succeeding Unai Emery.
Since then, the young coach had effortlessly failed to capture his former boss under a cosh as the odds massively held to his disadvantage.
Pep Guardiola had a near-perfect record against Arsenal before Arteta undertook the managerial job. The elite gaffer had played eight matches against the Gunners in the UEFA Champions League; four as a Barcelona boss, and another four at Bayern Munich. Where he won four, drew two, and lost two.
He extended the lead when he became Manchester City’s coach, where he won 12, lost four, and drew three, out of 19 matches played all together with a total number of 47 goals. While he registered eight victories, and two losses against Arteta.
Injury
The beginning of the season saw Arsenal summer-signing defender Kurrien Turner out of the squad due to ACL injury, and is expected to be available in 2024
With Thomas Partey returning to the team, two Arsenal big-match players Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are expected to miss the showdown.
Recall that the Brazilian poacher picked a hamstring injury during a match against Everton at Goodison Park stadium. Thus, missed Arsenal matches played thereafter.
Another storm hit the North Londoners when their 22-years old English forward was unstable on the pitch since their match against Brentford in the first round of Carabao Cup.
Sunday will also saw Guardiola’s City struggling at the Emirates stadium as two of their main men Kelvin De Bruyne and Rodri were rulled out of the showpiece due to injury