Arsenal vs. Man City: “Favourites by a mile” predicted to win Premier League clash against team “a long way” from their best

Manchester City have the potential to “frustrate” Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League showdown at the Emirates Stadium, but the Gunners should still be considered as “favourites by a mile”, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

Games between Man City and Arsenal have sparked plenty of intrigue in recent years as both teams have been vying for dominance at the top of the Premier League table, with the Gunners’ rise coinciding with the arrival of head coach Mikel Arteta following his time under Pep Guardiola’s mentorship.

Arsenal have frustratingly finished second in each of the last three seasons, coming up short against Man City twice in the title race before finishing behind reigning champions Liverpool in 2024-25, while the Citizens let their standards slip last term and had to settle for third place.

A total of 10 goals were scored across both meetings between Arsenal and Man City last season, but Guardiola’s side were unable to come out on the winning side in either of those encounters, drawing 2-2 with the Gunners at the Etihad in September last year before suffering a heavy 5-1 away defeat in February.

Three points and six places separate these two teams in the Premier League table this season and they both enter Sunday’s contest in buoyant mood after claiming Champions League victories without reply on matchday one of the League Phase in midweek.

While Arsenal secured a 2-0 win in Spain against Athletic Bilbao, having previously eased to a 3-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest, Man City followed up their 3-0 Manchester derby triumph with a routine 2-0 home success against 10-man Napoli on Thursday night.

Arsenal “favourites” as City are ‘a long way from anywhere near their best’

The focus for both clubs now shifts back to the Premier League and while it may be too early in the season to consider this mouth-watering fixture as a must-win, the victors would receive a huge psychological boost in their quest to close the gap to Liverpool and finish top of the Premier League pile.

Taking into account the current states of both Arsenal and Man City and how they have begun the new season, McInerney believes that Sunday’s game has come too soon for Guardiola’s new-look side to “really impose themselves” against a “settled” and “solid” Gunners outfit.

Speaking before Man City’s win over Napoli, McInerney told Sports Mole: “Arsenal are favourites by a mile. I can't sit and pretend otherwise. I am not 100% confident about this game. As much as [City’s] performance was good against United, I still think City are a long way from anywhere near being our best.

“Against a poor United side at home, United had more possession than us, which is still not good enough for a City side. I know we won 3-0, but it felt to me individual quality got us through as opposed to a team performance.

“Arsenal are just a much more settled side right now. [Sunday’s game is] at their ground, they're going to be really up for it. I am apprehensive about this game, and this doesn't necessarily mean I'm apprehensive about the entire season, but I think Arsenal has come too soon for us.

Arsenal-Man City showdown has “come too soon” for Guardiola’s new-look squad

“I think it might be just a game too soon for City right now to really impose themselves on this, because Arsenal look a little bit more of a settled unit. They're so solid defensively, they always have been under Arteta. They've added a few different ways to score as well.

“It was a new forward line entirely against Forest at the weekend. [Noni] Madueke, [Viktor] Gyokeres and [Eberechi] Eze. When you add [Bukayo] Saka, [Leandro] Trossard and [Gabriel] Martinelli, they've got a few options now. Previously, there was only really one rhythm to them. Now they do have options of different ways to play.

“[Martin] Zubimendi looks a cracking signing. He's been fantastic and scored a lovely goal at the weekend. [Cristhian] Mosquera had a really good performance against Forest as well. Arsenal look like a good side, annoyingly."

While McInerney believe that Arsenal are “better” than Man City at this present moment, he feels that the “big-game mentality” and quality within Guardiola’s squad should not be forgotten and it is “very possible” that the Citizens can irritate the hosts this weekend.

“I think [Arsenal] are, right now as it currently stands, better than Man City,” McInerney added. “They are more prepared than us, they're more set, they're more settled and they've signed well, so I am not fully confident.

“Very possible” Man City “frustrate” Arsenal - but will that be enough to win?

“Having said that, there is always that big-game mentality... It's very possible that City frustrate Arsenal and can create themselves as well, because they've got the quality.

“[Jeremy] Doku can beat people at any level and he's one of the most tricky wingers in world football. [Phil] Foden looks great against Man United. [Erling] Haaland is clearly up for it.

“Arsenal are a better side right now, but City still have an awful lot of quality. I'm not confident and I expect Arsenal might even win this game, but I don't think it's unfair to say that City could end up winning it too, because I think the quality of both sides is very evident.”

Asked to provide a score prediction, McInerney concluded: “I want to be optimistic, but I'm feeling pessimistic - not in a defeated way, I expect it. I don't think it'll be the be-all and end-all of [City’s] season, I just think it's probably where we are right now that Arsenal are a better side.

“It doesn't mean it can't change, but I think they'll beat us. I think we'll score, but I think they'll probably beat us 2-1 or 3-1, something like that”.

Meanwhile, McInerney has explained how a Man City victory over Arsenal would be “massive” and “transformational” for Guardiola’s side as they attempt to build a positive run of form and return to their very best.

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