Arsenal will travel to Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City in their biggest game of the season, and Chris Sutton is “very confident” about the outcome of this fixture.
The Gunners appeared to have lost their momentum after being held to three draws in a row, whereas, City have hit their seventh gear at the right time, winning all of their last six league games.
Sutton suggests that the Gunners are facing City “at one of the worst possible moments” because Pep Guardiola’s side are playing with great confidence. The BBC pundit says that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus are expected to carry a “threat”, but he predicts a 3-1 defeat for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Erling Haaland has been in majestic form this season, managing 15 goals in his last eight games in all competitions, and 48 goals in total for City thus far. Arsenal have looked vulnerable at the back in recent games, and it won’t be easy to keep Haaland at bay.
Sutton said to BBC Sport:
“I am very confident with my prediction for this game – the only thing I wasn’t sure about was whether Arsenal would score. The Gunners are playing this match at one of the worst possible moments because City have found their rhythm and are hitting some incredible form.
“I really hope Arsenal are brave and take the game to City because the Gunners’ attack is their strength, but in many ways that will play into the home side’s hands.
“Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus – on his return to Etihad Stadium – will all carry a threat, but we have seen how vulnerable they are at the back in the past few weeks, and how on earth do you stop Erling Haaland and co?
“If, say, Nathan Ake is out injured then that will hamper City a bit, but I still see Pep Guardiola’s side really dominating the game, and they are absolutely relentless when they come forward.”
Title race on the line
The Gunners lead the Premier League table by five points but have played two games more than the defending champions. Given the form City are in, it looks highly unlikely that they are going to drop points against other teams until the end of the season.
If City win this game, then they will be clear favorites to lift their fifth Premier League title in six years. This could be a massive season for them as they are also in contention for a treble, including the FA Cup and Champions League.
Arsenal were eight points above City heading into April but they have crumbled under pressure. A defeat at the Etihad won’t signal the end of the title race for Arsenal, but it will no longer be in their hands.
