To begin 2022 and the Premier League’s switch from NBCSN to USA Network, the league leaders Manchester City who sit with 50 points face Arsenal in a big battle at the top of the leaderboard. The reverse fixture back in August was a 5-0 killer that City dominated from the beginning. This time the circumstances are very different as Arsenal have created a set lineup and have gotten so much better since their rough beginning. City haven’t lost since the end of October in the EPL but might get their streak stopped by Arteta’s crew.
City have taken maximum points since October end and have set themselves apart from Liverpool and Chelsea. When a team plays them, they come from everywhere and it is impossible to stop. When they beat Leeds 7-0, they came from every part of the field and kept on pushing. They barely had to defend in that game and had 31 shots, some of them on target. I’ll probably see a lot more of that in this game and more attacks by them. With the form this exceptional team is in, I don’t know when and which team will beat them. They are playing great football currently.
Arsenal are in 4th place and are playing a hundred times better than at the beginning of the season. Buyako Saka has gotten into form and is playing some great soccer on the pitch. Gabriel Martinelli is another one of their players who has excelled in the last month and has made a big contribution to what the Gunners bring. For Arsenal against Man City, they have to break free a few times and when they do get clear cut chances, they have to be clinical. It is hard to compete with them for a full 90 minutes so in possession, they have to be very smart because they won’t get the ball a lot in the game. This team is playing outstanding and if I were to pick a team to beat City, this Arsenal team would be one of my top choices.
I think Manchester City will win this game 3-1. As I’ve said before, this team is playing phenomenal soccer and it seems nearly impossible to beat them. They have the ball the entire game and push the opposition so deep into their own half. Even Arsenal’s crazy good goalie Aaron Ramsdale won’t be able to have an answer for Pep Guardiola’s team. They switch the play very well, transition well, and pass really well which is a skill every team does not have. To me, this team seems unbeatable right now.
Week 21 kicks off with a should-be thriller from the Emirates Stadium. Can Arsenal help out their fellows Liverpool and Chelsea with an upset in front of their fans or will Manchester City keep on running away from the other teams and give themselves some space? We will find out early on Saturday morning from London.
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