After three months of inactivity, the Premier League returns back to the frame on Wednesday behind closed doors.
Manchester City play host to Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday in their matchday 28 outstanding fixture in the Premier League.
Arsenal won their last game in the league prior to the suspension, with the help of Alexandre Lacazette’s second half strike after coming off from the bench against West Ham United.
On the other hand, Manchester City suffered a derby defeat to fierce rivals Manchester United, who beat the Citizens by two goals to nothing.
Last year’s Premier League winners have been a shadow of themselves this season having lost many points than they did in their previous season.
Pep Guardiola’s side could hand over the league title to Liverpool as early as Sunday, should they lose to Arsenal on Wednesday and Liverpool secure a win in the Merseyside derby.
Mikel Arteta’s side on the other hand, are battling for a place in Europe with nine matches to go after this. Arsenal currently lie on the ninth position, eight points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
WHEN AND WHERE?
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Date: Wednesday, June 17
Time: 19:15 (GMT)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Manchester City have won their last six matches against Arsenal in all competitions, their best winning run against the Gunners.
City have lost seven Premier League games this season, one more than they had in their previous two campaigns combined. The average league position of their opponents in these seven defeats this season is ninth – Arsenal’s place in the table coming into this match.
Pep Guardiola has never lost a home match against Arsenal in his managerial career in all competitions (P7 W6 D1 L0), with the Gunners netting exactly once in all seven previous encounters.
Arsenal have lost their last five league matches against Man City; they last had a longer losing run against an opponent between 1974 and 1977 against Ipswich Town (seven in a row).
The Gunners are unbeaten in their last seven away league games (W1 D6), with each of their last five in a row ending level. The Gunners have never drawn six consecutive away league games in their history.
TEAM NEWS
Guardiola is set to have a selection headache with all his players back for the restart.
Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte are all ready to come back for Manchester City after using the coronavirus-enforced break to recover from their respective injuries.
For the visitors, there are no new injury concerns. Calum Chambers out with knee injury and Lucas Torreira is still a major doubt ahead of clash. Mikel Arteta could hand Cedric Soares his debut despite his facial injury, you’d expect to see him with a mask as who continues to stall on an extension with the club.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Man City: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Laporte, Mendy; De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva; Mahrez, Aguero, Sterling
Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Sokratis, Luiz, Saka; Xhaka, Torreira; Pepe, Ozil, Aubameyang; Lacazette
PREDICTION
Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal
