City take on Arsenal at the City of Manchester Stadium eager to prove that three wins from their first three games have not been achieved because they have played inferior opposition.
The blues have beaten Blackburn, Wolves and Portsmouth this season to achieve a 100% start to the campaign but face a stern test against an Arsenal side many have tipped will be replaced by the blues in the top four by the end of the season. The Gunners were eager to prove the doom and gloomers wrong and promptly set about destroying Everton 6-1 at Goodson Park. They then won the following two games before losing at Old Trafford in a game they dominated but were denied at least a point after the referee failed to give Arsenal a penalty when Arshavin was clearly brought down in the area.
City have not had much success against the Gunners over recent years; a 1-0 home win in 1991 was City’s last win until August 2006 when a Joey Barton penalty won the game for the blues. The next win came in November 2008, when goals from Stephen Ireland, Robinho and Daniel Sturridge saw off the Gunners, with boss Arsene Wenger bizarrely stating the score line ‘flattered’ the blues.
City face top four opposition two weeks in succession with a jaunt into the borough of Trafford coming up next weekend and these two games will be a test of City’s mettle and will provide an idea of any progress the blues have made. Victory for City will prove some of the doubters wrong while defeat will provide the critics with ammunition to shoot down City’s top four ambitions.
Team News
Robinho remains a doubt for City with a leg injury, while Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz, Vincent Kompany and Michael Johnson are all out for City. Emmanuel Adebayor plays for the first time against his former club and will be looking to continue his goal scoring form after grabbing a goal in all City’s Premiership games this season. Kolo Toure also faces his former club for the first time.
Andrei Arshavin and Theo Walcott are out injured for the Gunners.
City (From): Given, Taylor, Richards, Zabaleta, Toure, Lescott, Bridge Onuoha, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, De Jong, Barry, Robinho, Petrov, Weiss, Adebayor, Bellamy,
Arsenal (From): Almunia, Mannone, Sagna, Gallas, Silvestre, Vermaelen, Clichy, Eboue, Denilson, Song Billong, Diaby, van Persie, Eduardo, Bendtner, Wilshere, Gibbs, Ramsey
Prediction:
City 1-1 Arsenal - A tough game is in store for both teams and I really can’t see a winner. Goals are to be had but I think they will be shared equally.
Last season’s fixture: City 3-0 Arsenal (Ireland, Robinho, Sturridge)