We predict Manchester City to beat Arsenal 2-0 on Sunday.
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The Etihad Stadium is the venue as Manchester City host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
City have won all four of their Premier League matches this season, with Erling Haaland outscoring every other team in the league thus far. Pep Guardiola’s team are chasing a fifth straight title.
While City have not kept a clean sheet in their last three league outings, their attack has been blowing teams away with 11 goals scored across their four fixtures. Guardiola has an almost fully fit squad to choose from here, with a raft of options to slot in next to Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.
In contrast, Mikel Arteta is dealing with a minor injury crisis. Martin Odegaard was among a group of players unavailable for the win over Tottenham on Sunday. The Gunners are only two points off the early pace set by City, but they haven’t been anywhere near as impressive.
Arsenal were runners up to City in each of the last two seasons. With four gameweeks in the books in 2024-25, they are ninth in expected goal difference.
Manchester City probable XI:
Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Lewis; Kovacic, Gundogan; Silva, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland.
Arsenal probable XI:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli; Trossard.
Arsenal avoided defeat in all three matches against Manchester City last season. That streak included their first points at the Etihad Stadium since 2016.
While the Gunners can take confidence from those performances, we still can’t look past City this weekend. Pep Guardiola’s team have an extra day of rest after playing in the Champions League on Wednesday rather than Thursday. Their early season form has also been spectacular, while Arsenal are yet to find their rhythm.
The 1.80 price feels generous. The scheduling is much kinder to City, who are at home to Inter, while Arsenal have to travel back from Italy.
The last three matches between these sides have produced under 2.5 total goals. There was just one goal across 180 minutes of league action last season after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield.
This came after City beat Arsenal emphatically twice in 2022-23. Mikel Arteta has adapted his team, and they have become more experienced in the biggest matches. It has helped them avoid the kind of humiliations they suffered in the title run-in a couple of years ago.
While we expect City to win this match, we don’t think their attack will be able to tear Arsenal apart. Arteta has the personnel to at least make it difficult for the defending champions.
What is there to say about Erling Haaland? The Norwegian has nine goals in the Premier League already. Chelsea are the second-highest-scoring Premier League side with eight goals.
As clinical as they come, Haaland continues to generate more goal-scoring opportunities than anyone else. His 4.8 expected goals are two clear of Ollie Watkins in second place.
We can’t ignore Haaland in this form. It’s worth taking him at this price, and we’d strongly consider him as the first goalscorer or to score multiple goals if those markets are available with your bookie.