Arsenal vs. Man City Odds
| Arsenal Odds | +500 |
| Man City Odds | -190 |
| Draw | +360 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-170 / +140) |
| Day | Time | Saturday | 7:30 a.m. ET |
| How To Watch | USA Network | fuboTV |
| Odds updated via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute soccer odds here. | |
The first Premier League match of the weekend is a fascinating affair, as manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester City travel to North London for a meeting with newly rejuvenated Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.
After enduring a poor run of form, the Gunners have recorded five wins on the bounce if you include a Carabao Cup victory against Sunderland. Arsenal's aggregate goal differential over that period? A stunning 19-2 showing.
3️⃣ Premier League games
3️⃣ Goals🙌 @emilesmithrowepic.twitter.com/OqOep2Jmlv
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 27, 2021
That still doesn't make manager Mikel Arteta's team anything close to a favorite against a Man City outfit that has won 10 consecutive EPL games. The Cityzens are now eight points clear of second place and beginning to run away with the title once again.
Will Arsenal be able to do anything about it this weekend?
Arsenal Finding Consistency Versus Lesser Foes
Sure, the Gunners have looked great in recent weeks. With that 19-2 aggregate goal differential in their last five games and an 11.46-2.18 xG differential to go with that in the league, Arsenal has taken care of business. However, its league opponent have been West Ham United, Leeds United, Norwich City and Southampton.
It's not exactly a muderers' row of teams, so this will be a great chance to see just what Arsenal is capable of against the best club in the English top flight. Will the squad crumble against the pressure of a premier team or will it be capable of competing and playing solid football?
In the reverse fixture that was played at the beginning of the season, City demolished Arsenal in a 5-0 blowout. Three goals in the first half were made worse by a Granit Xhaka red card and it was over from there.
There probably isn't a better time for Arsenal to get this chance. Not only is the team in good form, but it didn't have to play at the midweek as City did. In a schedule as congested as the festive period in the Premier League, every chance to get rest is vital.
Man City Starting to Run Away From Pack
Does anyone feel like the Premier League is beginning to feel like the Bundesliga or Serie A of years past?
A worrying problem is beginning to grow for English football, as City is establishing a monopoly over the league. It's not the first time we've seen the Cityzens go 10 games without dropping points, but that's a remarkable achievement in a league that was once heralded based on its parity.
How that has come to be can be a lengthy discussion, but in the moment it feels like we're about to view a similar second half of the season to what we've been treated to for the most part over the past five years.
Maybe most concerning for the rest of the league is how capable the Cityzens are in finding results via different ways. The club's Wednesday encounter with Brentford wasn't a flashy affair, but City was patient and it paid off with a 1-0 win that featured a 1.02-0.24 xG differential.
It was the first time since December 1 that City didn't amass more than 3 xG in a game. That's daunting.
Betting Analysis & Pick
Fading a firing City is never a profitable choice in the long term and I'm not going to start doing that now. I know Arsenal comes into this game in great form, but this beast is far different than what it has seen in recent weeks.
Coping with the pace and quality with which Guardiola's men play will be extremely difficult, and Arsenal will need to excel on the counterattack to have any chance at success. In recent games against elite teams, Arsenal has shown it can struggle to do that.
I think the best route to go here is to avoid the cute one and just back City to get the job done like it has been doing time in and time out.
Pick: Man City -1 (-120)
