Arsenal vs Manchester City
Emirates Stadium, London, England
Wednesday, February 14th | 2:30PM EST | Peacock

The matchup many of us have been waiting for since the World Cup ended and the Premier League restarted this past December is finally upon us, Arsenal vs Manchester City!  It’s first versus second! It’s the up-and-comers versus the incumbent. It’s the Gunners versus the Cityzens!  Yes, we were able to get a glimpse of what this fixture could be a couple of weeks ago when the two clubs faced off in the FA Cup, which saw City beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Etihad.  However, Mikel Arteta picked a rotated squad for that match, trying to ensure that his squad remained fresh for the upcoming Premier League games.  Thus, today’s fixture will provide Arsenal’s strongest Xl, and we know Pep Guardiola will have his entire first team on the pitch as well.  So, this game should produce some fireworks for the fans!

With that said, interestingly enough, Arteta’s squad has dropped five out of a possible six points over the last two PL games since the FA Cup loss to Man City.  Could this be a sign that Arsenal has completely lost its mojo, its swagger, and a full-fledged collapse is forthcoming?  Or is this simply a mid-winter swoon of sorts that will show itself out of London now that City has come to town and the league title race has heated up once more?  We shall find out today!

As for Manchester City, they’ve produced some hot and cold performances of their own over recent weeks, however City has cut the deficit to six points behind the Gunners.  Thus, a head-to-head win today over the North London side will mean the Cityzens are just three points back and possess the goal difference tiebreaker.

LSB Prediction

Things could turn bleak for Arsenal pretty quickly with a loss in this game.  A draw would actually serve quiet nicely for them, as the distance between themselves and City would remain at six points.  With that said, Arsenal is at its best when the press high up the pitch and their midfield dynamos of Thomas Partey and Granite Xhaka are bossing the center circle.  Thus, I force the Gunners trying to play on the front foot, looking for goals and the win.  This in turn will make them susceptible for counter strikes at the back, and with Erling Haaland running in behind, City will have its fair share of chances.  Since this match is being played at the Emirates, Arsenal will be backed by 60,000 Gooners.  This will be enough to help push Mikel’s men on to victory in a hard fought match.  Arsenal 2 - 1 Manchester City

UEFA Champions League Bonus Prediction
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UEFA Europa League Bonus Prediction
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