After an enforced hiatus of just over three months because of the current global pandemic, the Premier League action is set to make its return to our screens and fans have been treated to a mouth-watering tie to get us all back into football fever.
Manchester City will host Arsenal in one of the two top-flight matches to take place on Wednesday 17 June with both sides looking to end the current campaign in the strongest of fashions ahead of the following season.
But, what do both sides still have to play for with Liverpool seeming running away with the title for the first time in 30 years?
Manchester City: Solidifying Champions League spot
Pep Guardiola’s side still have the likes of Leicester City and Chelsea on their tails in pursuit of Champions League football next season, therefore the Spaniard’s side still have plenty left to play for in their 10 games they have to play.
The Citizens will not have been in the best of moods prior to the Coronavirus outbreak, either, as they had just been beaten by fierce city rivals, Manchester United. Prior to that loss, they had just lifted the League Cup once again, progressed in the FA Cup, beaten Leicester in the league and beaten Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round of 16 away from home.
If Manchester City were not always looking for blood, they might just well be now.
Arsenal: European qualification
The Gunners currently sit 9th in the league and eight points behind London neighbours Chelsea in fourth, whilst just five behind Manchester United in fifth. Mikel Arteta’s side have a great opportunity in their game in hand to close that gap, although that is evidently going to be easier said than done.
Despite having been dumped out of the Europa League by Olympiakos, Arsenal were actually in some decent form before COVID-19 decided to involve itself in world affairs. The north Londoners are yet to be defeated in the Premier League in 2020, having won four and drawn the other four.
Nevertheless, if they are to beat Manchester City in the opener, though, they might have to be a bit better than they have been overall.
Prediction
Being able to make football predictions again is an added bonus of the sport returning, as some fans like to routinely make them ahead of the action.
Although the break in the campaign, perhaps, makes things a little more difficult to predict the outcome of the match, the head-to-head between the two clubs does suggest their might be a clear winner: Master Guardiola over student Arteta.
Manchester City have managed to win all of their last six meetings between the two sides across all competitions and with some ease as well. The Citizens have recorded 17 goals, whereas the Gunners have only netted twice.
The last six fixtures at the Etihad Stadium have not proved to be successful for the capital outfit, either, with the Sky Blues winning four of their league meetings and drawing one – Arsenal’s only win in that period came way back in 2015.
