Gooners v Gods Own pre match build up

[CTID Hants]

As much as i hate the beeb, i do like their match facts and stats, reading this along side CM's oppo fans views i am a lot more optomistic than i have been in recents weeks....



MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

Arsenal have lost 15 of the past 16 meetings, including 12 consecutive Premier League defeats

The Gunners' last two wins over City have come in FA Cup semi-finals: 2-0 in 2020 and 2-1 in 2017

Arsenal have gone 16 top-flight games against Manchester City without keeping a clean sheet

City are the only side that Mikel Arteta has failed to beat during his managerial career in the Premier League - he has lost all seven meetings against his former club.



Arsenal

Arsenal are unbeaten in the Premier League, winning five and drawing two of their seven matches

However, the Gunners suffered their first loss of the season in midweek, going down 2-1 to Lens in the Champions League

The north Londoners have won 19 of their past 26 Premier League home games, drawing five and losing to Manchester City and Brighton

Mikel Arteta's side have kept just four clean sheets in their past 28 home league fixtures, with 63% of the goals they have conceded since the start of last season coming at Emirates Stadium

The Gunners have dropped points in five of their eight Premier League home games without Bukayo Saka, winning three, drawing three and losing two

Saka has contributed five goals and two assists in his past eight Premier League appearances.


Manchester City

Manchester City could lose back-to-back Premier League fixtures for the first time since December 2018, when they were beaten by Crystal Palace and Leicester

City have lost one third of their 15 league matches without Rodri since his debut in August 2019, compared to just 13% of the 144 games he has featured in

Erling Haaland scored in both of the top-flight clashes with Arsenal last season, with each goal coming after the 80th minute

Haaland has scored in his previous four Premier League outings in London, a run which started with a goal in City's 3-1 win at Arsenal in February

Goalkeeper Ederson is set to make his 300th City appearance on Sunday.

[Mase]

Saka injured or what?

[Nick]

Nah he'll play. Looked fine when he returned to the bench mid week

[blues2win]

I’ll be beyond furious if Stones plays for England and comes back injured. If he’s not fit for us he shouldn’t be called up at all. I notice there were reports of a deal between Arsenal and England to rest Saka for at least one of the two internationals.

[Original Dub]

I’ll be beyond furious if Stones plays for England and comes back injured. If he’s not fit for us he shouldn’t be called up at all. I notice there were reports of a deal between Arsenal and England to rest Saka for at least one of the two internationals.

This keeps getting mentioned but I reckon pep doesn't mind players coming back from injury and getting minutes for their countries.

If they get injured playing for their country, they would have gotten injured playing for us.

If they come back closer to match fitness, perfect.

I find it hard to believe john stones actually puts England ahead of city.

Do any of you firmly believe he does?

[Outcast]

I’ll be beyond furious if Stones plays for England and comes back injured. If he’s not fit for us he shouldn’t be called up at all. I notice there were reports of a deal between Arsenal and England to rest Saka for at least one of the two internationals.

This keeps getting mentioned but I reckon pep doesn't mind players coming back from injury and getting minutes for their countries.

If they get injured playing for their country, they would have gotten injured playing for us.

If they come back closer to match fitness, perfect.

I find it hard to believe john stones actually puts England ahead of city.

Do any of you firmly believe he does?

250k a week says he doesn't

[Mase]

I’ll be beyond furious if Stones plays for England and comes back injured. If he’s not fit for us he shouldn’t be called up at all. I notice there were reports of a deal between Arsenal and England to rest Saka for at least one of the two internationals.

This keeps getting mentioned but I reckon pep doesn't mind players coming back from injury and getting minutes for their countries.

If they get injured playing for their country, they would have gotten injured playing for us.

If they come back closer to match fitness, perfect.

I find it hard to believe john stones actually puts England ahead of city.

Do any of you firmly believe he does?

He constantly has sly digs about Stones playing for England when injured, as recently as his press conference this week.

[Original Dub]

I wouldn't think he'd need to have sly digs mase.

It would be such an unusual position to take I'd say he'd have been shipped out by now.

Stones, to me, comes across as someone who gives his all. But he gets injured a fair bit.

Our doctors have to sign off on his fitness ahead of any England duty. I would think the Pep holiday comment was down to him knowing stones prob won't play a lot?

Actually, I recall him saying he'd the biggest balls around

[Mase]

I wouldn't think he'd need to have sly digs mase.

It would be such an unusual position to take I'd say he'd have been shipped out by now.

Stones, to me, comes across as someone who gives his all. But he gets injured a fair bit.

Our doctors have to sign off on his fitness ahead of any England duty. I would think the Pep holiday comment was down to him knowing stones prob won't play a lot?

Actually, I recall him saying he'd the biggest balls around

He didn’t make the holiday comment about Stones? It was Rodri.

He’s constantly had digs mate.

[Original Dub]

I wouldn't think he'd need to have sly digs mase.

It would be such an unusual position to take I'd say he'd have been shipped out by now.

Stones, to me, comes across as someone who gives his all. But he gets injured a fair bit.

Our doctors have to sign off on his fitness ahead of any England duty. I would think the Pep holiday comment was down to him knowing stones prob won't play a lot?

Actually, I recall him saying he'd the biggest balls around

He didn’t make the holiday comment about Stones? It was Rodri.

He’s constantly had digs mate.

Was it? Apologies got mixed up there, you're right.

If he has, I haven't noticed but more importantly, it should be easily sorted internally. Why would he risk his club career for his country?

Maybe he does, but it would be really, really weird in this day and age, no?

[Nick]

Ye pep has defo had digs about country over club

[blues2win]

I’m personally not suggesting Stones is putting Country before Club. I’m simply saying if he’s not fit to play for City he should not be called up by England. Pep clearly agrees.

[Mase]

Ye pep has defo had digs about country over club

He’s also mentioned about some players not wanting to play if they have a niggle, but there’s players like Foden that will play through injury because they love football.