Arsenal vs. Manchester City Prediction: Clash of Titans in London

• Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 in a dominant display last weekend

• Manchester City emerged victorious over Manchester United by the same scoreline

• Arsenal have an excellent record in head-to-head games against the elite

Arsenal vs. Manchester City Odds

The odds for Arsenal vs. Manchester City can be found in the odds table below, courtesy of BetRivers sportsbook. Sign up for a BetRivers account and claim the welcome offer: $500 Bonus Bet.

My -108 Pick for Arsenal vs. Manchester City 

This could be a cracking game at the Emirates Stadium, as Arsenal and Manchester City renew hostilities in a crunch clash. The Gunners are strong on home turf and that should help them get over the line.

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Arsenal Must Go for the Kill if They Get the Chance

Arsenal got their Premier League title bid back on track last weekend, brushing Nottingham Forest aside at the Emirates Stadium. 

It was an impressive display from Mikel Arteta's men, who created numerous chances at one end and gave up very little at the other. It was also a much-needed result following the 1-0 loss to Liverpool immediately prior to the September international break.

To Arsenal’s critics, that loss demonstrated why they are yet to get over the line in a title race under Arteta. Arsenal held their own at Anfield. The game was there for the taking against a Liverpool team that was operating nowhere near full capacity. Yet Arsenal chose to stick rather than twist. They played it safe, then paid the ultimate price when Liverpool scored a late winner.

It was not the first time that had happened in the Arteta era. There is no doubt that the Spaniard has done a brilliant job overall at the Emirates. He has made Arsenal a serious team again. 

The only remaining question mark is whether he is the manager to take them over that final hurdle. And to do that, he must be braver in big games like this one against Manchester City.

In fairness to Arteta, his team boasts a pretty strong record against fellow members of the big six. Prior to the Liverpool loss, Arsenal had gone 22 league games unbeaten against the Reds, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. They beat both City and Liverpool on home turf last season. Now they will aim to get the better of Pep Guardiola's side again this weekend.

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Manchester City Aiming to Challenge for the Title Again

Manchester City suffered an off-year in 2024/25. It was not a disastrous season - they still finished third, just three points behind second - but it was an obvious backwards step. A dip was arguably overdue after four consecutive league titles, but the key question now is whether City are ready to challenge at the top of the division again.

The signs so far are mixed. On the opening weekend, City eased to a 4-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers. They outclassed their opponents and won by a wide margin. That was also true last time out, as City beat their local rivals Manchester United 3-0. In those two games, Guardiola’s team have almost looked back to their best.

Yet that was not the case against either Tottenham Hotspur or Brighton & Hove Albion. City were beaten by both opponents in between the wins against Wolves and Manchester United. As such, they trail Liverpool in top spot by six points. It is eminently possible that they could end the weekend nine points adrift of the summit of the standings already.

The return to full fitness of Rodri is a major boost. If Phil Foden can recapture his top form, City’s attack will become even stronger. Erling Haaland has started the campaign brilliantly, scoring five goals in his first four appearances. 

However, City still look vulnerable at times. They are not as effective a pressing unit as before. Even in the handsome triumphs over Wolves and Manchester United, their opponents got into promising situations on the counter-attack. Right now, then, City are probably not at the overall level of Liverpool and Arsenal, the two favorites for the title according to the best online sportsbooks.

“I would love to have the players of eight years ago, seven years ago, six years ago, but it's impossible," Guardiola said ahead of the Manchester derby. “We are doing very, very good things but, still, we have to be more consistent than we have been - but step by step, we'll do it.”

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Season Is Young but Outcome of This Match Will Be Significant 

Arsenal steamrollered Manchester City in this fixture last season. A meeting at the Emirates Stadium in early February saw the Gunners win 5-1, as they blew Guardiola’s men away. Arsenal should expect a stiffer test this weekend, though, with City having recovered from that low ebb.

With Rodri back and Haaland in excellent form, City are more than capable of beating Arsenal on the road. However, we favor the Gunners in this one. For all that City were strong going forward against Manchester United, they are still below their peak level under Guardiola. In Arsenal, they are about to face one of the most robust teams in Europe, so it will not be easy for City to find a way past the opposition backline.

Arsenal have coped well without Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka at the start of this season, so even if both players miss out on Sunday the Gunners will still carry a threat. Moreover, William Saliba is likely to return to the starting XI at center-back.

Arsenal are ahead of Manchester City at the moment. They also have home advantage on their side. Any result is possible in this clash of the titans, but in our view an Arsenal victory is the best choice from a betting perspective.

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How to Watch Arsenal vs. Manchester City

• Teams: Arsenal vs. Manchester City

• Location: Emirates Stadium, London, England

• Date and Time: Sunday 21st September, 11.30AM ET

• How to Watch: Peacock Premium