After more than 13 months not meeting each other in the English Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is finally taking on the Manchester City team led by his former master Pep Guardiola. The clash between the top two teams in the Premier League table will be crucial in determining the eventual champion, as the team from the Blue Half of Manchester currently trails only three points behind the league leader Gunners, and a win tonight will propel them into the first place on goal difference. Nonetheless, the North London side will have an advantage of another game in hand regardless what happen later this evening.
First Premier League Meeting Since New Year’s Day of 2022
We would have to date back to the first day of last year for the previous Premier League match between both sides. Nevertheless, Arteta’s and Guardiola’s men did face each other earlier this year in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup, in which Manchester City came out as a 1-0 winner at home, thanks to a goal from 27-year-old Dutch defender Nathan Aké. The loss kickstarted a depressing streak for Arteta’s men in all competitions, with the next two games ended in a 1-0 beating to Everton at Goodison Park and a 1-1 draw against Brentford F. C. at home.
Considering their record against Manchester City in their previous ten Premier League meetings had also been awful, it would only be reasonable that Gunners are itching to revenge on Citizens for the defeat last time around; The current league leader is undergoing a ten-game losing streak against its opponent tonight, which happens to be its worst display against any opponents in the Premier League.
Furthermore, former City assistant manager Arteta would also look forward to erase an embarrassing history in his managerial career as the 40-year-old former Arsenal player had never defeated Citizens in his last five clashes against them as a manager.
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Manchester City Won Four of Their Last Five Matches
After successful defeats to Southampton F. C. and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s side bounced back and won four of their next five games in all competitions, allowing itself to go three points adrift the league leader Arsenal. The Emirates Stadium is also one of City’s favourite grounds to play a match at since the team in sky blue jerseys had won all six meetings against Arsenal away in all competitions. With a win ready to send the team to the top of the Premier League table, the visitors will be eager to bring a strong fight to the home side in their league title defence. Should they be able to win this match, it will be the first and only defeat Arsenal suffers at home in this season’s Premier League.
Arteta: “We Need to Use That Challenge and That Energy.”
Mikel Arteta left Manchester City with hopes to revive the Arsenal team he used to played for as a footballer, and for the first time since the 2003/2004 Season, Gunners are edging closer to a Premier League title after collecting 51 points out of a possible 63 in 21 league games.
When spoke about the match against Manchester City tonight, Arteta highlighted that he is preparing the team in a way that would echo Manchester City’s successes in the past six years. His response read “What [City] have done the last six years, they absolutely merit it, they merit it on the pitch, the way they play, the way they have competed, the way they have gone through difficulties. For us, the challenge is to get to that level. We need to use that challenge and that energy. This is what we want to be. This is the level and we are heading towards it.” The 40-year-old manager further added that he believes that the team will be showered with deep support from the home fans, and is ready to manage his side to “Enjoy a beautiful night and a really special day”.
Elsewhere in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Bayern Munich defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at Le Parc des Princes despite Kylian Mbappé returning to the squad. We have the full details for you: https://www.otherleague.com/football/bayern-munich-defeat-paris-saint-germain-champions-league
