- Man City take on Arsenal this Sunday
- Citizens cannot afford to lose
- They are in good form
Manchester City host Arsenal this Sunday with the aim of continuing their exceptional form over recent weeks.
It would be wrong to call this weekend’s biggest match a title decider. In truth, this is only likely to be the case if Arsenal emerge triumphant from the Etihad Stadium.
However, it is not far off considering the fact that Manchester City already have a lot of momentum going into the game.
Were they to win again, the Gunners would need something special to turn around their form and get back on track.
With not long to go until what could be the most important match of the league season, it is time to take a look at the recent form of both teams.
Man City’s five most recent matches
West Ham 1-1 Man City (March 14)
Bernardo Silva’s accidental chip was not enough to get Man City over the line, in a game of missed chances. It was their second Premier League draw in a row, allowing Arsenal to establish a firm lead at the top of the table.
Manchester City 1-2 Real Madrid (March 17)
City showed spirit in their second leg defeat against Real Madrid, after a shocking display in the Spanish capital. Unfortunately, Silva’s red card killed any chance of progression, and Vinicius Jr sealed a win for the visitors with a late goal.
Arsenal 0-2 Man City (March 22)
Nico O’Reilly was the star of the show as Manchester City lifted the Carabao Cup. Arsenal came closest to scoring in the first half, but four minutes of brilliance from the Englishman gave his team a victory which has since knocked the Gunners off balance.
City 4-0 Liverpool (April 4)
The Reds started really well at the Etihad Stadium, passing the ball around with pace and accuracy. However, once Man City really got going, they had far too much quality up front for Arne Slot’s men.
Chelsea 0-3 Man City (April 12)
The Sky Blues did not experience much joy in the first half last weekend, but three different scorers stepped up to put Chelsea to the sword. Marc Guehi and Rayan Cherki were particularly good during the win which saw City move within six points of Arsenal.
Arsenal’s past five results
Arsenal 0-2 Man City (March 22)
Mikel Arteta approached his team’s cup final clash against Man City rather negatively. Kepa Arrizabalaga slowed the play down too much and gifted O’Reilly his first goal. After the 21-year-old got his second, mounting a comeback was never going to be easy.
Southampton 2-1 Arsenal (April 4)
The Gunners had an international break to get over their defeat to City, and a lot of their players pulled out of playing for their countries due to being injured. However, they were poor in the FA Cup and suffered a shock defeat to a Championship opposition.
Sporting CP 0-1 Arsenal (April 7)
Arsenal continued their unbeaten record in Europe by overcoming Viktor Gyokeres’ former club in the Champions League quarter-finals. It was not the most convincing display, but getting a win was important after two poor results.
Arsenal 1-2 Bournemouth (April 11)
Boyhood Tottenham fan Alex Scott scored a 74th minute strike which gave his team a victory over Arsenal. This was a big moment for Man City, as it allowed them to move closer to the top of the table with a win over Chelsea.
Arsenal 0-0 Sporting CP (April 15)
Arteta and his team got the job done against Sporting, but their second leg performance was by no means a confidence builder. If they play like that against City, they are going to lose.
Man City and Arsenal both have advantages
For Man City, there will be feelings of positivity after three much better performances, all against Big Six opponents.
Despite this, Arsenal still have a sizeable lead at the top of the Premier League table. They will be very much aware that a win on Sunday would leave them within touching distance of the title.
Therefore, there are reasons for both teams to feel good heading into this one. However, City are the side with the form and this is likely to be the most important factor.
