Manchester City – Arsenal

The league leader will not lose face in Manchester.

In the English Premier League, the climax of the title race is approaching. Over the last three seasons, Arsenal have consistently finished as runners-up. At the start of this football year it became obvious that Mikel Arteta's team had outgrown that status and would now strive for their first league title in decades. In mid-March it seemed that Arsenal were racing at full speed towards the title, overcoming all their difficulties; however in the previous round of the Premier League, the Gunners shot themselves in the foot by losing at home to Bournemouth. Despite the periodic slips in chasing the leading Arsenal, Manchester City have been more stable in recent weeks. Most importantly, Guardiola's side headed into the head-to-head with their rival in a strategically advantageous position. A home win over Arsenal and a triumph over Crystal Palace in the previously postponed round of the championship would bring the Gunners' lead on points to zero. With the Champions League campaign continuing, the London club's situation looks precarious. Betting shops have made the home side the favourites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.84 on their victory. Beyond the aforementioned pressure on Arsenal, Manchester City's players have another psychological advantage over their opponent. Just under a month ago the 'Citizens' beat Arteta's charges in the final of the English League Cup. Moreover, they achieved a 2-0 victory quite deservedly. Overall, one cannot fail to be impressed by Manchester City's recent results. In addition to their successful chase of the second-most prestigious national cup trophy, the 'Citizens' in the FA Cup defeated Liverpool 4-0, and last Sunday in London they crushed yet another top English club, Chelsea. Three unanswered goals found the Blues' net. Arsenal have fallen into their worst form of the season. Notably, this is reflected by the report of their London clash with Sporting, which finished 0-0. Nevertheless, the quality of the Gunners is enough not to be beaten by Manchester City by two or more goals.