Manchester City vs Arsenal
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
Friday | 3:00 PM EST | ESPN+
The Emirates FA Cup takes center stage in England this weekend. There’s 16 matches set to be played in the Fourth Round, highlighted by Friday’s fixture between Man City and Arsenal! Finally us fans get to see the Premier League’s best square off this campaign….even if it’s not actually in the Premier League. Due to fixture congestion back in the fall, the Cityzens and Gunners had to postpone their October 19th date, thus setting the stage for this stellar first meeting in the one and done format of the FA Cup.
Unlike the trend of top English clubs tossing up rotated squads for domestic cup competitions, I fully expect both managers, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta, to select their strongest sides for this match. This game means more than just winning and advancing to the quarterfinals, it’s a statement game. With City five points back of Arsenal and having played one more match, the Cityzens will be aiming to show the Gunners that this season isn’t over just yet, remind Arsenal that Man city are still the defending PL Champions, and simply put, that Manchester City are still serial winners.
Meanwhile for the Gunners, a win over City, at the Eitihad no less, would be another example of how this Arsenal side is legitimate and in it for the long haul, despite the club’s youth and perceived inexperience. Remember, Arsenal’s best starting eleven, the group that played against Man United last Sunday, has an average age of 24 years old, In addition, the Gunners front three of Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, and Gabriel Martinelli, have an average age of just 22 years old. Despite their tender ages, these players are performing with guile, ruthlessness in front of goal, and eagerness to win the ball back whilst still in the attacking half of the field. In turn, it appears that Arsenal FC has finally reloaded it’s armory from the Thierry Henry days.
LSB Prediction
With out a shadow of a doubt, this match will live up to the billing. On the banks of the Ashton Canal, the Etihad Stadium will be pulsating as the epicenter of football on Friday. The fans will be electric, the managers will be on edge and in need of restraining from the sidelines, and above all, the football produced by the Premier League’s elite will be of the highest quality. Erling Haaland will be as hungry as he’s ever been, and in turn will score a first half goal, putting the home side in front. However, as we’ve seen time and again this season, Arsenal will provide the more consistent, energetic, and dynamic play over the 90 minutes. As a result, they’ll equalize in the second half. Then, in the dying embers of the match, the Gunners will secure a second to win the match courtesy of its attacking triumvirate in Saka, Nketiah, and Martinelli. All told, this will be a statement win for the North Londoners whilst leaving the Cityzens searching for answers.
Manchester City 1 - 2 Arsenal