Arsenal supporters may believe there is no better moment to play Manchester City than now, as the Gunners seek their first Premier League victory over the champions since December 2015.
After all, Pep Guardiola’s team has recently struggled. Two defeats in their past three games in all competitions have raised a few eyebrows, and City will be without suspended Rodri and injured Kevin De Bruyne at the Emirates Stadium. Two players who have caused several problems for the Gunners.
Not to mention Arsenal’s psychological victory on penalties in the Community Shield at the start of August. Yes, this particular match frequently divides fans and the media, as some regard it as little more than a friendly, while others take it seriously and regard it as a big honor.
Whatever side of the argument you choose, it’s easy to argue that Mikel Arteta’s side needed to snap an eight-game losing streak to Manchester City. It will be evident whether that result had any impact on this head-to-head contest around 6.30pm on Sunday.
And, with Erling Haaland struggling at the moment, Arsenal may fancy their chances of handing City back-to-back Premier League defeats. The striker scored both at home and away against the Gunners during the 2022/23 season, and despite averaging a goal per game this season, he should be in double figures by now.
Unusually, the Norwegian international has not been at his clinical best. The essential word here is “yet.” He’s passing up opportunities that he would have converted last season. But there’s a chance he rediscovers his best form this weekend, as the north London club has displayed defensive flaws, particularly at the Emirates Stadium.
Pep Guardiola has also stated that his striker’s level has not dropped: “He had a lot of chances to score goals,” the Spaniard remarked. “It becomes more difficult with five defenders on the 18-yard box, but not just for him, but for any 
player worldwide.” If you look at the chances he’s had and the goals he’s scored, he’s on par with last season.”
However, during Man City’s 3-1 Champions League triumph over RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, Haaland wasted one great chance while others went begging, according to Sofascore. Another ‘off day’ like this at the weekend could auger well for Arsenal, as outscoring opponents is how football games are won.
However, it is not as simple as that because City are no longer overly reliant on the 23-year-old. The Manchester Evening News reports that while Haaland handled the goalscoring burden for much of the season, his teammates Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and summer acquisition Jeremy Doku stepped up in Germany.
To that point, Alvarez has six goals in all competitions this season, one fewer than the Norwegian, and has already demonstrated he is just as dangerous to Arsenal’s prospects of winning on Sunday as City’s so-called misfiring number nine.
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