Arsenal vs. Man City: Arteta could achieve managerial first as Guardiola bids to avoid setting unwanted record in Premier League showdown

Mikel Arteta could achieve a managerial first and Pep Guardiola is in danger of setting an unwanted record in Sunday’s Premier League showdown between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.

Both teams enter this eagerly-anticipated contest after collecting maximum points in their opening League Phase fixture of the new Champions League season, with Arsenal beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in Spain on Tuesday and Man City winning by the same scoreline at home to Napoli on Thursday.

The focus for both Premier League title hopefuls will now shift to domestic duties and recent history suggests that Man City could struggle in the capital this weekend, as they have lost five of their last seven top-flight fixtures immediately following a European game in midweek (W2).

One of those was a humbling a 5-1 defeat at Arsenal in February when the Citizens conceded four goals in the final half-hour to suffer their heaviest loss under Guardiola.

Man City have in fact failed to come out on top in any of their last five meetings with Arsenal across all competitions, including each of their last four in the Premier league (D2 L2), conceding eight goals and scoring just three in the process.

Guardiola out to avoid unwanted first in Arsenal clash

Should Man City fail to beat Arsenal on Sunday, Guardiola will go five matches without a top-flight league victory against the same opponent for the very first time in his 17-year managerial career.

It is worth noting, though, that Guardiola does boast an impressive overall record against Arsenal as a manager, winning 62.5% of his 32 encounters across all competitions (W20 D5 L7) in charge of Man City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Guardiola has encouraged his Citizens squad to avoid another “disaster” at the Emirates and is approaching his latest clash with “extraordinary manager “ Arteta in an optimistic manner, as there are “good vibes” in his City camp following their recent successes over Man United and Napoli.

While Man City sit eighth in the Premier League table with six points from their opening four games, Arsenal are three points and six places better off in second place, with their only setback of the new season coming at Anfield against reigning champions Liverpool (1-0).

Arteta initially struggled to get the better of Guardiola in the early stages of his managerial career at Arsenal, losing eight of his first nine meetings with Man City in all tournaments (W1), with the Gunners conceding three or more goals on five of those occasions.

However, Arsenal have transformed into a much stronger team in recent years, and Arteta could become the first ever manager to go five league games unbeaten against Guardiola if the Gunners avoid defeat on Sunday.

History beckons for Arteta against “best coach in the world” Guardiola

Arsenal, regarded as “favourites by a mile” to win against Man City in some quarters, will back themselves to succeed on home soil, as they have won their last three Premier League games at the Emirates by an aggregate score of 9-0.

Not since December 2021 have Arsenal won four home games in a row without conceding, while they last won their first three matches in front of their own fans at the start of a new season without conceding back in 1960-61.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Arteta said: “The preparation of the game will be to win it, that's for sure...it's about winning again and creating another good moment for us. Consistency, competing against one of the best teams, obviously, in the world. It's a good test for us to see our level as well.”

On Guardiola, Arteta added: “The demands that he puts first of all on himself, the standards that he requires for everybody around him, his will to win, to evolve, to improve.

“You look around him always, he wants to surrender to the best people. For me, he's by far the best coach in the world, I always said it. I've had the pleasure to work with him and win a lot with him, next to him, so it's always great to see him back.”

The pressure will mount on both Arsenal and Man City ahead of Sunday’s game if champions Liverpool beat Merseyside rivals Everton in Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff, which would move them six points clear at the summit.