Manchester United left the rest playing catch up on Tuesday with victory over Stoke and now the title race focus switches to the Emirates on Wednesday.
Arsenal host Manchester City in north London and both need the points to stay in touch at the top. United remain unbeaten, a run that now stretches to 20 Premier League matches, and avoiding defeat for both teams involved is imperative if they are to sustain a challenge.
Having been outplayed by Everton before Christmas, City’s title claims had looked flimsy but three successive wins over the festive period, the latest of which was a hard fought 1-0 triumph over Blackpool, saw them join their Red Devil rivals at the summit.
City have a decidedly difficult run-in with trips to Chelsea, Liverpool and United still to come after Wednesday’s showdown, the ultimate prize may prove just beyond, but they have a score to settle with Arsenal having been embarrassed 3-0 earlier in the season at Eastlands and I expect them to be difficult to beat.
Arsenal themselves had a pre-Christmas wobble when failing do to themselves justice in defeat at Old Trafford but with Robin van Persie on the comeback trail following injury they, too, had a productive fortnight, the highlight of which was a 3-1 thumping of out-of-sorts Chelsea, and Arsene Wenegr will be targeting three more points here.
The match odds markets looks priced accordingly to me, Arsenal a shade of odds on to do the business, but I expect this to be very tightly contested and would have had under 2.50 goals no bigger than 1.80.
Both managers, City’s Roberto Mancini in particular, treat games of this magnitude as ‘must not lose’ affairs above all else and we saw earlier in the term just how negative the Eastlands club were against the table toppers when it really mattered.
That was on home soil, too, and I can only imagine the Italian will pack the midfield in an attempt to stifle the hosts’ threat in an attempt to at least replicate that goalless draw versus United that was so forgettable.
At 2.00 in a number of places, I don’t need persuading to back the unders and more than three goals would surprise. It may take just one moment of brilliance to settle it but it should make for enthralling viewing nonetheless.
2pts Back Under 2.50 Goals (Arsenal vs. Man City) @ 2.00 (various)