Arsenal vs Manchester City

2022 Premier League action gets underway at the Emirates Stadium with a mammoth encounter between Arsenal and Manchester City.

Arsenal hit the ground running in the Premier League down the final stretch of 2021 to close out the calendar year on a four-match winning streak in the competition. Despite hammering Leeds United 4-1 in their most recent league outing to solidify their position within the Premier League top four, the ‘Gunners’ will be without charismatic manager Mikel Arteta, who has tested positive for Covid-19. That could significantly derail Arsenal’s chances of breaking a disastrous nine-game losing H2H run in the Premier League, including a 5-0 thumping at the Etihad earlier in the season. However, the ‘Gunners’ can draw inspiration from their intimidating home form, having gone unbeaten in all 12 competitive games at the Emirates (W11, D1) since a 2-0 loss to Chelsea back in August. Coming into this encounter, they have won five home league matches in a row, including the last four without conceding.

If Arsenal have soaked up the limelight as a team in form, what about Manchester City, who have won their last ten Premier League games on the trot since losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace in October. Pep Guardiola’s men have taken the Premier League by storm in recent months, surging to a clear-cut eight-point lead at the summit ahead of the new calendar year to confirm they have no intention of giving up the crown this season. What’s more, since being held to a 2-2 draw to Liverpool in early October, the ‘Citizens’ have won their last six Premier League away fixtures, recording 2+ goal-margin triumphs four times in the process. Adding to the visitors’ confidence, they have won seven of their last eight Premier League matches on New Year’s Day, except for a 1-0 loss to Sunderland in 2011/12.