Manchester City vs Arsenal: Time For The Gunners To Prove Their Title Credentials

Manchester City vs Arsenal
English Premier League
Saturday, December 14; 12.45pm kick-off
Live on BT Sport

This Saturday sees a match-up of epic proportions, with Manchester City hosting Arsenal in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium. You can watch the game live with BT Sport.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men are in great form at home, proved by the fact that they have taken maximum points at the Etihad Stadium this season – in fact, you have to go back to May for the last time that City suffered defeat on home soil.

The hosts will be keen to lay down a marker with victory and also close the gap at the top of the table, with Arsenal currently six points adrift of City in fourth place.

City were pegged back by a resilient Southampton last time out, with the title contenders drawing 1-1 at St Mary’s to continue indifferent away form – as such, Pellegrini will urge his men to get three points at home to keep them in the hunt.

Arsenal have been the most impressive side in the English top flight this season, and deserve their place at the table’s summit. Arsene Wenger’s men looked set to extend their lead at the top last Sunday against Everton, but Mesut Ozil’s opener was cancelled by a Gerard Deulofeu effort in a 1-1 draw.

The festive season promises to test the north London side’s resolve to hold onto their lead at the top, with games coming thick and fast. If Wenger’s men can get out of this clash with a positive result, it would show that the Gunners are in it for the long haul.

There is something of a grudge element to the game, with a number of Arsenal players jumping ship to move to Manchester in recent years. Although Emmanuel Adebayor and Kolo Toure have since been transferred, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri in particular can expect a hostile reception from the travelling support.

A number of key personal match-ups will play their part in the outcome, with top-quality players on both sides.

Arsenal have had a stellar defensive record of late, but their fortitude will be put to the test against the division’s top goalscorers. Sergio Aguero in particular is in great form, and has netted 12 Premier League goals already this term.

In the centre of midfield, Yaya Toure continues to be the driving force in City’s side and will take on arguably the most-impressive player of the campaign to date in the form of Aaron Ramsey.

Finally, the hosts will rely on captain Vincent Kompany to thwart the attacking impetus of Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud.

A game that will have a big say in the respective sides’ momentum going into the festive period, it should be quite a spectacle between two of the most-exciting teams in England.

Watch Manchester City v Arsenal live on BT Sport.