THE GUNNERS LEAD THE STANDINGS BY FIVE POINTS GOING INTO THE MATCH AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM, BUT CHAMPIONS CITY HAVE TWO GAMES LEFT TO PLAY AND ARE ALSO IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN DESTINY.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT CITY ARE NOW IN THE LEAD AFTER ARSENAL FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SEASON. AFTER THREE STRAIGHT DRAWS, THE LONDONERS’ LEAD HAS DIMINISHED AS CITY HAVE BEEN ON A ROLL. THE TREBLE-CHASING TEAM OF PEP GUARDIOLA HAS WON 11 OF ITS LAST 12 GAMES, PUTTING THEIR EARLY-SEASON INSTABILITY BEHIND THEM.
ARSENAL MAY HAVE HOPED THEY WOULD BE FEELING THE PRESSURE AS CITY CHASES VICTORY IN THREE TOURNAMENTS AND THE FIXTURES PILE UP. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE AREN’T MANY INDICATIONS OF IT.
CITY HAVE A QUESTION MARK OVER NATHAN AKE, WHO IS IN EXCELLENT FORM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THEY ARE HEALTHY AFTER PHIL FODEN’S COMEBACK AT THE WEEKEND. IN FACT, DESPITE HAVING MORE PLAYERS CALLED UP FOR THE WORLD CUP THAN ANY OTHER TEAM, CITY HAS SO FAR ESCAPED THIS SEASON REMARKABLY UNDAMAGED.
THERE ARE A LOT OF TALES THAT MAY BE ENTERTAINING THAT ARE JUST WAITING TO BE WRITTEN. ERLING HAALAND, A GREAT PLAYER FOR CITY THIS SEASON, HAS BEEN THE MAIN SOURCE OF THE TEAM’S HEADLINES, AND THE PROLIFIC NORWEGIAN IS ONLY SHORT OF REACHING A FEW MORE SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES.
GUARDIOLA FREQUENTLY COMPLIMENTS ARTETA, HIS FORMER ASSISTANT, BUT THE ARSENAL MANAGER HAS HAD DIFFICULTY OUTSHINING HIS FORMER MASTER.IN THEIR EIGHT MANAGERIAL ENCOUNTERS, GUARDIOLA HAS PREVAILED SEVEN TIMES. IN JANUARY, CITY DEFEATED ARSENAL 1-0 IN THE FA CUP AT THE ETIHAD AND THEN WON THE PREMIER LEAGUE BY A SCORE OF 3-1. THESE ARE TWO OF HIS VICTORIES THIS SEASON.
