By The Telegraph (World News) | Created at 2024-09-22 14:15:38 | Updated at 2024-09-30 07:20:45
1 week ago
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Manchester City vs Arsenal from the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s side have finished runners-up to City in the last two seasons, and with the two teams in those same positions coming into this weekend, today’s clash at the Etihad Stadium already feels significant in this year’s title race, despite coming just five games into the campaign.
Arsenal and City are the two sides to remain unbeaten in the league but only Guardiola’s men maintain a perfect record, having won their four fixtures to date with relative ease. This is largely thanks to the ruthless finishing of Erling Haaland who became the first player to score nine goals in the opening four games of a Premier League season. The Norwegian was a post’s width away from making it three hat-tricks in as many games against Brentford last time out, but instead had to settle for a brace as he overturned City’s 1-0 deficit.
Arsenal’s only dropped points came in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium against Brighton after their lead was eradicated following Declan Rice’s controversial second yellow card. In the absence of the England international and captain Martin Odegaard, ruled out by an ankle injury, Arsenal got things back on track as they won their third north London derby in a row at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a resolute 1-0 win thanks to Gabriel’s second-half header.
Both sides were held to goalless draws by Italian teams in their midweek Champions League ties as City were frustrated by the visit of Inter Milan in a repeat of the 2023 final, while Arsenal kept their fourth clean sheet in five games away to Europa League champions Atalanta.
Arteta’s men were one of just three teams to beat City in the league last year as Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal clinched a 1-0 win at the Emirates, but they were criticised by many for seemingly settling for a goalless draw in the reverse fixture at a crunch point in the title race, before going on to to fall two points short of their rivals.
