Arsenal has recently been in good form and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. However, ‘dominant’ is too small of a word to describe the performance of Manchester City. As a result, 2022 is surely going to bring in some explosive football if Arsenal and City are what we are getting for the New Year.

So who will take away three points? Will it be a familiar face for Mikel Arteta and the team or will they come back for revenge against the side that humiliated them at the start of the season? Well, let’s go through a detailed preview and explore more about this interesting fixture. 

Matchday 21 of 38

Pep Guardiola will be prepared before arriving at the Emirates because he might have an idea or two on how to beat Arsenal despite their current form. So all eyes will be on Mikel Arteta as the Gunners fans hope to see their side stop the Premier League winners. While many claimed that Artete did learn a lot under Pep to be able to beat his team, little did they know that Pep could turn things around and make life difficult for any club in the Premier League. 

So the uncertainty that lingers around this fixture would be the exciting factor that both sides could look forward to. Since fixtures of this nature always offer something new, many would move forward to maybe consider football betting. So if you are one among them, the thing that you need the most is BritainBet. 

Date and Venue

The first day of the year, as in, January 1st 2022 will see the clash between Arsenal and Manchester City as they play out the game at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Team Analysis

What should Arteta do differently?

There have always been arguments about clubs hiring their legendary players to take the role of a manager. While many have failed, Arteta has produced a mixed feeling. His reign did bring in an FA Cup victory but also lost out on European qualification for the first time in 25-years. However, Arteta’s rejuvenated squad looks set for further qualification as fans have started dreaming of Champions League qualification.

But the first fixture of the year is going to be with the Champions and it is one that is going to be the ultimate test. While City did dominate over Arsenal at the start of the season, the squad was missing a few young players who are now taking the club forward. But Arteta would require something more to stop City and the answer might come from the midfield. 

City and its band of midfielders always end up dominating possession and as they proceed forward, they end up scoring goals from all corners. So Arteta will have to lock up his midfield and use his key players to try and prevent the beautiful assists that City sends forward.

Is City winning the title again?

The Premier League title race for the 2021-22 season started a little differently and it ended up being a three-horse race. However, a few draws and losses later, City seem to be marching ahead by increasing the point gap between them and Chelsea and Liverpool. While three of these teams can always win the league, points seem to slide with City and Guardiola is deemed to see all fixtures as ones that can give him three points. 

Regardless of whoever the opposition is, City will be determined to claim another Premier title. Which is why Arteta will have to bring in all his tricks and try to stop City from creating a point-gap that is hard to look at for other clubs in the league.

Is dominating possession the key to victory?

Football managers have often had differences of opinion when it comes to possession-based football being the key to victory. While some state that it prevents one from conceding goals, others believe that trying to maintain long periods of possession without attacking would eventually backfire when the opponent understands your gameplay. There have been a lot of games where the team that has seen the better part of the ball have lost the game due to making compromises on the attack.

That is where Guardiola comes in to change the rules as he focuses on possession as the key towards setting up a proper defence and ultimately winning the game. Be it long passes or balls towards the midfield, City will bring in an attacking brand of football that ends up taking away the ball from the opponent. Whether this strategy will once again work against Arsenal is something that we will have to find out.

The young gunners look set in defence and also have a talented keeper in Aaron Ramsdale, who is strong enough to limit shots one after the other. So Arsenal has the resources to limit the same old carnage of a 5-nil loss. But do they have enough to win? 

Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Head-to-Head

Arsenal and Manchester City have put on some epic clashes and it also dates back to the days when Arsene Wenger would have arguments with Pep Guardiola. Together, both these clubs have played 49 games in total where 10 have ended as draws.

The record does state that Arsenal has got the better of City. However, these figures date back to a time when City did not have a certain Pep Guardiola or a Bernardo Silva on their side. As a result, the current squad is limitless and can really hurt Arsenal. But in recent months, Arsenal has learned to give it back. So will they get the better of City or will Pep Guardiola reign supreme in this Master Vs Apprentice battle?

Well, stick towards the start of the year and find out.