Arsenal v Man City match preview – tough opponents but Arsenal can get something from the game.
In all fairness, Arsenal goes into this fixture in much better shape than some thought they would, myself included.
It could have been a whole different story if West Ham would have prevailed last Monday but the lads fought their way back to claim a 3-1 win and boost their confidence significantly.
City has their own issues right now, they have already lost the same amount of Premier League games that Arsenal have and their defence is hardly watertight. In fact, Sheff Utd has conceded fewer goals than City this season.
Of course, Pep Guardiola’s men can put any team to the sword if they play to their very best but the thing is this, they have not been at their consistent best this campaign, their season has been one of inconsistency and that is why they are closer to Arsenal in the standings than Liverpool.
It is fairly obvious how to beat City, on the counter-attack. That is what worked terrifically well for Man Utd, Wolves and Norwich City and there is no reason it cannot work for Arsenal today. They certainly have the players to be able to do it.
The big question is, can Arsenal transition fast enough to mount regular counter-attacks? Another big question is, can the defence hold the City frontline back for an entire 90 minutes?
There can be no slouching from the backline, they have to be tight all game long, they cannot be making silly errors and dilly-dallying with the ball. City will put pressure on from the start and Leno has to distribute much faster and the defence has to connect with the midfield at pace free of mistakes.
It sounds a tall order but if the likes of Norwich City can do it then so can Arsenal.
I am of the opinion that both forward lines will be too strong for the respective defences and so a high scoring game is on the cards.
Predicted Score
Arsenal 2-2 Man City