Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis are going head-to-head in what guarantees to be an interesting Premier League title race, with solely 4 factors separating the edges on the midway level of the marketing campaign.
Man Metropolis took full benefit of Arsenal’s slip-up to blow the title race vast open final weekend with a snug 2-0 dwelling win over dead-last Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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In an odd accident, Manchester United handed their crosstown rivals an enormous increase, as Michael Carrick impressed his aspect to a shocking 3-2 victory in North London.
Regardless of struggling their first league defeat because the starting of December, this nonetheless looks like a lifetime alternative for the Gunners to halt their two-decade title drought.
Priced at 2/5 to ascend the throne for the primary time since Arsene Wenger’s final title-winning aspect, Mikel Arteta’s males stand on the helm of their future, with the crown theirs to lose.
The Cityzens have a mountain to climb within the second half of the season, with main bookmakers score them as 3/1 outsiders to reel in Arsenal down the stretch.
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Either side will play away from dwelling this weekend, as we have a look at their upcoming 5 league fixtures.
Arsenal
Regardless of languishing within the Premier League’s decrease reaches because the starting of the season, Leeds United have sprung a mid-season resurgence, dropping simply as soon as of their final ten league outings.
Nevertheless, Arsenal have been ruthless on this match-up, as evidenced by their formidable run of seven consecutive wins, together with a dominant 5-0 win in August’s reverse fixture.
It’s additionally value noting that they’ve not misplaced at Elland Street since November 2000.
Sunderland (H)
Arsenal’s first dwelling sport since making the membership’s with a 3-2 conquer Kairat Almaty pits them towards mid-table Sunderland instantly after the primary leg of their EFL Cup semi-final tie towards Chelsea.
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Earlier than Man Utd’s outstanding win, Arsenal had loved an excellent 17-match unbeaten dwelling streak, highlighting the Emirates Stadium’s fortress-like standing.
Sunderland ought to stand no likelihood right here.
Mid-February’s cross-capital journey to the Gtech Group Stadium may current the Gunners with a a lot sterner check, provided that the Bees have solely misplaced twice at dwelling all season.
Towards this backdrop, Arteta’s males have emerged victorious from their final three away league conferences with Brentford, conceding only one aim in that sequence.
Ending that run now could be ill-timed within the excessive.
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After a 4-1 win within the reverse fixture, Arsenal can be trying to full their second successive league double over everlasting North London rivals in late February.
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With Thomas Frank’s future on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium probably on the road, attaining that feat may show simpler mentioned than performed.
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A hat-trick of London derbies caps off on the Emirates because the Gunners tackle top-four hopefuls Chelsea initially of March, bidding to increase their nine-game unbeaten streak towards the Blues.
Three consecutive dwelling wins over the Stamford Bridge outfit put Arsenal in a powerful psychological place heading into what may show a season-defining conflict for Arteta’s aspect.
Manchester Metropolis
Tottenham Hotspur (A)
Contemporary off securing an computerized last-16 spot within the Champions League, , which ought to increase their morale forward of Sunday’s journey to London.
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Spurs have not too long ago been a thorn in Man Metropolis’s aspect, beating them thrice of their final 4 encounters throughout all competitions, together with a 2-0 victory on the Etihad Stadium in August.
This conflict already looks like a ‘make or break’ for the Cityzens.
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There’s no higher solution to show your title credentials than to defeat the reigning champions. Given Liverpool’s abysmal type this season, that is probably not tough.
Nevertheless, Metropolis could be naive to underestimate the Reds after successful simply one in all their final 5 league conferences.
Fulham (H)
Man Metropolis boast one of many longest head-to-head successful streaks within the historical past of English soccer towards none apart from Fulham, having overwhelmed them of their final 19 showdowns.
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On that foundation, something apart from a routine dwelling victory for Guardiola’s aspect would come as a significant shock.
Talking of historic runs, the Cityzens bookended an eye catching 16-game successful dwelling streak towards Newcastle United with a 4-1 victory on this corresponding fixture final season.
Although the Magpies avenged that loss with a 2-1 dwelling triumph in November, the psychological barrier appears too nice for them to beat.
Leeds United (A)
Regardless of dealing with the Whites away from dwelling, that is one other beneficial conflict for Man Metropolis, contemplating they’ve received their final 5 league matches towards Daniel Farke’s aspect.
That mentioned, they’ve dropped factors in three of their six Premier League visits to Elland Street within the twenty first century.