Manchester City vs Arsenal preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Under 2.5 goals

• Both teams to score

• Match to end in a draw

A Premier League title decider awaits.

Manchester City have been slowly chasing down the league-leading Gunners since the turn of the year, and now trail them by just six points with a game in hand. 

Come out on top at the Etihad this weekend and win that game in hand, and it will be level at the Premier League summit, separated only by goal difference.

City come into the match on fine form, too, having trounced Chelsea last weekend to extend their Premier League unbeaten run to nine matches.

And they will be particularly confident ahead of this tie after pipping Arsenal in last month’s Carabao Cup final, extending the north London club’s seemingly interminable wait for a title.

That defeat seems to have sent Arsenal into something of a downward spiral, and they have won only one of their four matches since.

However, Mikel Arteta will hope his side can rally and breathe fresh life into the title charge with a win.

The Gunners still have an 85.9% chance of winning their first top-flight crown since 2003-04, though, according to Opta’s end-of-season predictions. That is far ahead of City’s 14.1% likelihood of another title, even though that figure sat under 3% before last weekend’s decisive swing.

How are your nerves, Arsenal?

Martinelli’s late leveller cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener in a 1-1 draw in the reverse meeting back in September, though City did beat Arsenal 2-0 in last month’s EFL Cup final.

Indeed, Arsenal are now unbeaten in their last five Premier League games against Man City (W2 D3), having lost 12 in a row against them before this.

However, City have also gone undefeated in their last 10 top-flight home games against Arsenal (W7 D3), since a 2-0 loss in January 2015 under Manuel Pellegrini.

This exact fixture ended 2-2 last season, with a chaotic encounter capped off by Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser after Arsenal defended for a full half with 10 men following Leandro Trossard’s red card for two cautions.

Manchester City Premier League form: 🟩🟩🟩🟧🟧🟩

Manchester City form (all competitions): 🟥🟧🟥🟩🟩🟩

Arsenal Premier League form: 🟧🟩🟩🟩🟩🟥

Arsenal form (all competitions): 🟩🟥🟥🟩🟥🟧

Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka, whose ongoing Achilles issue also led to his withdrawal from the England squad in March. 

However, Noni Madueke is expected to be fit despite coming off in Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Sporting CP in the Champions League with an apparent knee issue.

Declan Rice insists he is ‘100 per cent’ having recovered from a recent illness, though Martin Odegaard is a doubt with a knock.

For City, Ruben Dias is reportedly set to miss the match through injury as he remains sidelined with a hamstring problem, along with Josko Gvardiol with a broken leg. 

John Stones could be passed fit, but he is unlikely to break up the impressive pairing of Guéhi and Abdukodir Khusanov.

Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly; Rodri, Silva; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland.

Arsenal: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Zubimendi, Rice; Havertz, Madueke, Martinelli; Viktor Gyökeres.

With the Premier League title on the line, questions have been asked of Arsenal’s mental fortitude. This will be the greatest test yet of their constitution.

City have home advantage and are the form side heading into it, granted, but two of the three possible outcomes on the day suit Arsenal, while this is a must-win for Pep Guardiola's side.

A point at the Etihad tends to be a good result at the best of times, and Arteta will definitely feel no shame in earning a draw and playing for one. Hence, if you're expecting a grandstand Premier League final or a champagne performance from Arsenal, you won't be getting one.

There won't be any champagne football because a draw for Arsenal at City will ensure the champagne can be saved for the parade in N5.

If they don't find some other way to bottle it.

Correct score prediction: Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal