Can Manchester City Pressure Chelsea With Arsenal Win?

Perhaps the biggest game of the weekend sees Manchester City take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The former look to put pressure on top club Chelsea, the two being separated by two solitary points, whilst the Gunners will try to fend off any fellow Champions League position competitors.

Manuel Pellgrini`s home side were level on both points and goal difference with Jose Mourinho`s league leaders before their encounter with Everton last time out but failed to keep up with the pace by dropping two points at Goodison Park.

Fernandinho thought he had grabbed the winner for the visitors fifteen minutes from time after a goalless first half but the Toffees found an equaliser just four minutes later through Steven Naismith.

In spite of this, City have picked up at least a point in all of their league matches since October and won both previous January clashes. The first of these saw the Citizens see off Sunderland in a closely fought 3-2 victory on New Year`s Day.

Yaya Toure opened the scoring after a goalless first half before Stevan Jovetic levelled up for the reigning Premier League champions. Jack Rodwell halved the deficit before Adam Johnson equalised on the penalty spot, but this equilibrium only last for two minutes as Frank Lampard grabbed the winner for the home side with 15 minutes left to play.

This result was followed up with a 2-1 win over Championship club Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup. James Milner scored a second half brace as City had to come from behind after Atdhe Nuhiu`s deadlock breaker.

Pellegrini`s men`s last defeat at the Etihad came back in August in a 1-0 loss against Mark Hughes` Stoke City. As a result, City are the favourites for the 16:00 kick-off with Coral pricing the home side up at 5/6 for the win. A draw can be backed at 16/5 with boylesports whilst a win for Wenger`s men is available at 18/5 with betfair, Betvictor and boylesports.

The last time these two clubs met in the Premier League was at Arsenal`s Emirates in September, the sides playing out a 2-2 draw. Sergio Aguero bagged the only goal of the first half for the visitors before Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez put the Gunners in front with only 15 minutes remaining. This scoreline didn`t last for long, however, as Martin Demichelis levelled up from a corner kick.

Arsenal have scored two goals in eight of their last ten games in all competitions and are 9/5 with sportingbet to grab over 1.5 goals again tomorrow. The only occasions on which the North London club failed to score twice in this period were against Champions League rivals Southampton. The Gunners beat the Saints 1-0 at home at the beginning of December and lost 2-0 away on New Year`s Day.

Since that defeat, Arsenal have netted twice against Hull in the FA Cup and hit three past Stoke in the league last weekend. Per Mertesacker provided the opener against the Tigers with Sanchez earning the side their second whilst the Chilean also grabbed a brace against the Potters. Like the previous week a defender opened the scoring, this time Laurent Koscielny.

Top scorer Sanchez, who has hit the back of the net 18 times this season, is a 7/1 chance (Spreadex) to score the first goal of the match.

The home side will be without Samir Nasri after the player sustained a calf injury, but will be able to call upon Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany following their successful recoveries. Arsenal may well be without two key defenders in Mathieu Debuchy and Kieran Gibbs. Midfielder Mikel Arteta is also out.

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17/01/2015     © Frixo 2026