The Gunners did not concede any goals against the Citizens in both encounters last season and are hoping for a repeat in their trip to the Etihad.
Arsenal’s ambition to win the Premier League will face a significant challenge when they visit the Etihad.
Mikel Arteta’s squad achieved one victory and one draw in their two matches against Man City last season, yet they still couldn’t prevent the Manchester side from claiming the title for the third consecutive time.
In the past two seasons, Arsenal has always finished second to Pep Guardiola’s winning machine.
However, after notable improvements in style of play, personnel, and mentality, many believe Arsenal can end their 21-year wait for the Premier League trophy since “The Invincibles.”
To achieve this, they need a positive result against the defending champions.
This season, Man City still shows their intimidating form, despite making only two personnel changes and parting with several stars.
With Erling Haaland in stunning form—scoring nine goals in four matches—the Citizens have won all four of their games, maintaining a two-point lead over Arsenal.
Arsenal faces a challenging schedule, having already faced tough opponents like Aston Villa and Tottenham, but they managed to secure full points.
They only had a disappointing draw against Brighton after Declan Rice received a controversial red card.
In the upcoming clash, Arsenal will miss the services of Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino due to injuries, but they remain hopeful for a favorable outcome at the Etihad, relying on their defense.
Currently, Arsenal shows tactical flexibility, sometimes opting to sit deep at home and waiting for counter-attack opportunities.
With the excellence of their defenders, the Spanish coach has solid grounds for this approach.
Center-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are increasingly cohesive. Meanwhile, goalkeeper David Raya has been in excellent form, making crucial saves in every match this season.
This solidity is evidenced by Arsenal conceding only one goal in five matches.
“We all want to achieve something. Winning the Premier League isn’t easy, but after finishing second twice, we want to win,” Saliba said.
“We’ll give our all, even more than last season, because we don’t want to finish second, third, or fourth. We want to win this league, and we will give our best.”
When Arsenal held Man City to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad in late March, they were optimistic as they were at the top of the table.
But the Citizens dashed their title hopes by winning the last nine matches, pulling two points ahead of Arteta’s team.
“In Premier League history, Man City has been the most stable team ever, not only in results but also in dominance and peak performance,” Arteta stated yesterday.
“This is the challenge; we have to go there and prove we’ve taken a step forward and can compete.”
If Arsenal wants to secure three points at a ground where they haven’t won since 2015, their center-backs must continue their excellent performances.
Haaland didn’t even have a shot on target in both encounters with Saliba and Gabriel in the EPL last season.
“I’m fine, and he is too. We both speak French and are now playing our third season together,” Saliba added about their strong partnership.
“We understand each other well, and it’s great to play every match with him. We’re both developing together since he’s young, so it’s wonderful to have him alongside me.”
In 65 Premier League matches with this duo in defense, Arsenal has kept 30 clean sheets and conceded only 51 goals.
“William Saliba and Gabriel are on the brink of joining the legends,” former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher wrote in The Telegraph.
“If they continue to stand together, we will eventually mention Saliba and Gabriel alongside the two best duos of my generation: John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho of Chelsea, and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United.”
However, to reach that level of recognition, Arsenal needs to add more trophies. Despite significant progress over the past three seasons, they have yet to win a title.
Ending City’s nearly two-year unbeaten run at home would open a brighter prospect for Arsenal, suggesting that the title race could conclude differently.