Arsenal Vs Manchester City: EPL Preview

Gameweek 28

Arsenal Vs Manchester City

In less than a week's time since their monumental 3-0 Carabao Cup Win, Manchester City are set to lock horns once again with Arsenal, with 3 points up for grabs in their EPL fixture.

Man City, the winners of the Carabao Cup come in as the team in-form, with an inevitable Premier League crown also on the horizon.

However, the main problem is City's current away form in the league. They are winless in their last 3 Away games (2D 1L).

Arsenal, on the other hand, put in a terrible performance especially in the second half of their Carabao Cup defeat against their opponents and have been beaten in both games against City this season. They will want to write off that wrong by claiming victory in the league.

Team News

Arsenal:

Nacho Monreal (inflamed disc) who came-off on Sunday will be absent; along with Alexandre Lacazette (knee) and long-term absentee Santiago Cazorla.

Manchester City:

Manager Pep Guardiola would have loved to have given a rest to his first-team players who played 90 minutes on Sunday. Plus, a crucial weekend game against Champions Chelsea awaits this Sunday at the Etihad Stadium, but injury woes are his biggest concern.

Fernandinho (hamstring strain) is set to be missed for the first time in the PL this season.

Raheem Sterling (thigh) who missed the Final may not feature at all mid-week as Guardiola may not risk playing him with Sunday's game in mind.

Fabian Delph (suspended) and Benjamin Mendy (knee0, a long-term absentee are also out.

Predicted Line-ups

Manchester City:

• The manager may not risk playing captain Vincent Kompany who put in a stellar performance in Sunday's victory. He may partner John Stones and Aymeric Laporte in central defense.
• Oleksandr Zinchenko could start at Left full-back.
• A surprise name to start in central midfield could be Yaya Toure for the injured Fernandinho.
• Phil Foden, the 17-year old could also be given essential game time in this game.
• Gabriel Jesus could be set for his first PL start in 6 PL games after coming back from injury.

Arsenal:

• The manager should opt to begin Ainsley Maitland-Niles at left back instead of Sead Kolaniac to add that extra pace and shooting ability down the left wing.
• Henrikh Mkhitaryan is expected to start after he was cup-tied for the Carabao Cup final.
• Granit Xhaka who put in a disastrous performance on Sunday should be omitted from the Starting XI, and Mohamed Elneny should start to provide extra defense in midfield.

Prediction

Arsenal (3-0) Manchester City

Arsenal wants to avenge Sunday's loss, and with home field advantage they are likely to do so and run out comfortable winners. If Granit Xhaka doesn't begin, Arsenal has a greater chance of keeping a clean sheet and running out easy victors. 

Another test awaits for their fabulous trio of Aubameyan, Mkhitaryan, and Ozil, who would want to prove a point.

Pep Guardiola needs to focus more on this weekend's important game against Chelsea instead of tonight's result. He will be pleased if his team comes to a point, but getting a win is highly unlikely.

Carabao Cup Final 2018

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Manchester City eased past Arsenal with a 3-0 victory at Wembley to claim the Carabao Cup as manager Pep Guardiola won his first major honor in English football.

Arsenal themselves would have known that conceding the first goal of the game will make it very difficult to find a way back, but if they did the exact opposite, conceding three. 

Sergio Aguero began the inevitable celebration, scoring City's first goal of the night, with a beautiful chip over Arsenal keeper Davide Ospina and City didn't look back.

Just before the hour mark, Vincent Kompany who put in a true captain's performance on the night scored a deserving second lifting Wembley in orbit.

The goal came after Kevin De Bruyne played in a clever pass to the edge of the box via a corner and the shot fired in was neatly tucked in by the City captain.

Seven minutes later, Arsenal was stunned as David Silva scored City's third down the left to seal the game and the Carabao Cup 2018.

Arsenal made this game one-sided and by far, the easiest final for any side to win in a long time. They were absolutely disgraceful especially defensively. Players were literally walking back for the restart after conceding the 3rd goal, a terrible motivation for a cup final.

Maybe, they can learn from their mistakes and make well when the two lock horns once again this coming Thursday.