On Wednesday we also have the first big match at the restart of the Premier League season. Manchester City is the big favorite at home, with Arsenal, in a slightly closer match than the odds show. “Gunners” are not exactly cannon fodder! The hosts have the whole group, while the guests are without Soares and Torreira. What is the best bet in this match? Possibly the gaps!
Manchester City is in 2nd place (goal difference 68-31), far behind the leader Liverpool. However, Mikel Arteta’s team still has a stake this season: maintaining the second position, in the fight against Leicester and Chelsea. Arsenal is only in 9th place (goal average 40-36), but it still has chances to enter the UEFA Europa League, and the Londoners’ goal offers a special stake to the match on the Etihad.
In 5 of the last 6 direct duels, City scored at least three goals, and the statistics favor goal betting. The “citizens” have won 6 consecutive derbies with the Londoners, and the “gunners” come after five consecutive draws away, without impressing in most of them. Although Arteta has a lot of offensive talent at his disposal, the large spaces between the compartments have always come to hack Arsenal, who will hardly defend themselves in front of the goal scorers from Manchester.
Without a victory on the Etihad in 2015, Arsenal hopes that Ozil and the rest of the attacking stars will have a good day, because Pep Guardiola will definitely force the offensive. In the friendlies played before the restart of the season, Arsenal beat Charlton (6-0) and lost to Brentford (0-2), but these are inconclusive results at a high level. In the round it was 3-0 for Manchester City, at Arsenal. In fact, the “citizens” won by a difference of two goals each in the last five direct duels!
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Mendy; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Mahrez, Aguero, Sterling
Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Mari, Luiz, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Pepe, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette
– Arsenal took the lead in the break in 54% of away games this season;
– 81.8% of the goals scored in the last 4 home matches of City came in the second half;
– Manchester City has 9 wins and 2 defeats in 13 stages played at home, this season;
– Arsenal is on the 12th place in the ranking of away matches: 2 victories in 13 stages;
– Arsenal’s top scorer is Aubameyang (17) and City’s is Aguero (16);
PREDICTION: Over 2,5 goals @ 1,37
