Arsenal – Manchester City Prediction & Picks (01.03.2018)

Arsenal and Manchester City meet at Emirates Stadium, in a match for the 28 th round of the Premier League. Manchester City won at home by (3-1) the last time they met in this edition of the league, on 05-11-2017. The history of direct confrontations played in this stadium is favorable to the home team, which in the last 4 matches won 1 and tied 3. But the last time these two teams played a match in this stadium, on 02-04-2017 , for the Premier League, the two teams tied by (2-2). T. Walcott (40 ‘) and S. Mustafi (53’) scored the goals of the match, for Arsenal, and L. Sané (5 ‘) and S. Agüero (42’), for Manchester City. Attention to the home factor, since the Arsenal usually conquer different results at home and abroad.

Arsenal:

The home team is currently in the 6 th position of the league, with 45 points won, after 13 wins, 6 draws and 8 losses. In the penultimate match, they won in a home match against Everton, by (5-1). In the last match, they lost in an away match against Tottenham Hotspur, by (1-0). This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 5 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses in away matches, with 20 goals scored and 20 conceded; against 9 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses at their stadium, with 35 goals scored and 17 conceded. In their last match, for the League Cup, they lost to Manchester City at home (0-3). In the last 10 home league matches Arsenal has won 7, tied 2 and lost 1, for which they have won 23 points out of 30 possible. They have not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in 9 of the last 10 matches, but their offense has scored frequently, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. In their home matches there is a tendency for goals, since 9 of the last 13 matches for this competition have ended with Over 2,5 goals. In 27 matches in the competition, they suffered the first goal 9 times and only managed 2 comebacks.

Arsenal started for this game with a defeat in the final of the League Cup, against Manchester City, by 0-3, confirming that it went through several difficulties this season. To remember that Arsenal is still in sixth place, 7 points behind fifth place, Tottenham. Despite playing at home, Arsenal must give possession of the ball to Manchester City, looking for counterattacks to create danger: Bellerín offers great depth to his team. On the other hand, Ozil is a fundamental piece in this team, owning great vision of the game and quality in the pass. For this match, the French coach is still without Lacazette and Cazorla, injured, and still has doubts about Monreal.

Manchester City:

The away team is currently in the 1 st position of the league, with 72 points won, after 23 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss. In the penultimate match, they tied in an away match against Burnley, by (1-1). In the last match, they won in a home match against Leicester City, by (5-1). This is a team that usually maintains its competitive levels in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 9 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses in away matches, with 29 goals scored and 13 conceded; against 14 wins and 1 draw at their stadium, with 41 goals scored and 10 suffered. In the last match that they disputed, for the League Cup, they won against Arsenal by (0-3). In the last 10 away matches for the championship Manchester City has 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss, so they have won 23 points out of 30 possible. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. This is a team that usually does not feel difficult to open the scoring: it scored the first goal in 21 of the last 27 matches for the Premier League, of these 21 came to rest in advantage in 16 and managed to maintain the advantage until the end of the 90 ‘in 20. In 27 matches in this competition, they have conceded the first goal 5 times, but have come back in 3.

The players of Pep Guardiola come to this game motivated, after having conquered the League Cup of England, by triumphing over Arsenal, the adversary of this game, by 0-3. It is important to underline that in the last game for the championship, the visitors won to Leicester 5-1. Without great surprises, Manchester City must opt ​​for a dominating strategy, seeking to attack their enemy in a more organized way. However, in some moments of the game he must act only in counterattack, transition in which he is very competent. The Argentine Sergio Aguero is the best score of this team, with 21 goals scored in the championship. For this game the coach does not have Delph, suspended, in addition to Mendy, Fernandinho, Yaya Touré and Sterling, all with physical problems.