Team news and key Opta statistics to help with Fantasy Football picks and bets for Thursday night's Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City.
Thursday March 1
Arsenal v Manchester City
- Date & kick-off time: Thursday March 1, 1945 GMT
- Venue: Emirates Stadium
- TV coverage: Sky Sports
- Sky Bet odds: Arsenal 13/5, Draw 5/2, Manchester City evens
Team news
Nacho Monreal will miss Arsenal's Premier League clash with Manchester City after sustaining an injury in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.
The Spain international was forced off in the 3-0 loss to City with a back problem, which has also ruled him out of Sunday's trip to Brighton.
Arsene Wenger has no other fresh injury concerns and can recall January signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was cup-tied at Wembley.
Manchester City are set to be without Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho.
Forward Sterling is again doubtful after missing two games with a muscular problem while midfielder Fernandinho is definitely out with a hamstring strain.
Left-back Fabian Delph serves the second match of a three-game suspension while Benjamin Mendy (knee) is a long-term absentee.
Teams
Arsenal (from): Cech, Ospina, Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Bellerin, Nelson, Kolasinac, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Iwobi, Mkhitaryan, Welbeck, Aubameyang.
Manchester City (from): Ederson, Bravo, Walker, Danilo, Kompany, Otamendi, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Toure, Gundogan, De Bruyne, D Silva, B Silva, Foden, Diaz, Aguero, Jesus.
Opta statistics
- Arsenal have won just two of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Manchester City, drawing five and losing four. Indeed, both teams have found the back of the net in eight of their last nine clashes in the Premier League.
- Manchester City have won only one of their 20 Premier League away games against Arsenal (D7 L12) – winning 2-0 under Roberto Mancini in January 2013.
- Manchester City could become the first side to beat Arsenal three times in the same season since Chelsea in 2005-06 – those three defeats also all occurred at different grounds.
- Manchester City’s points total of 72 from 27 games is the most ever set by an English top-flight side at this stage of the season (3 pts for a win). If they win this game, it’ll match Arsenal’s Premier League tally from last season (75 points from 38 games).
- The Gunners have won five of their last six Premier League games played on Thursday (L1), including a 3-2 away win against Crystal Palace in December.
- Arsenal have recorded just two victories in their last 16 Premier League matches against fellow ‘big six’ teams (D6 L8). They beat Spurs in November 2017 and Manchester United in May 2017.
- The Gunners have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last nine Premier League matches – they last went 10 without a shutout in the top-flight back in February 2002 (11 games).
- Manchester City have lost just one of their last 35 Premier League games, winning 29 and drawing five.
- Sergio Aguero has scored in each of his last five appearances against Arsenal in all competitions – he’s never scored in six games in a row against a single opponent for Man City. o Already Man City’s all-time top-scorer, Aguero can hit the 200-goal mark for the club in all competitions in this game (currently on 199).
- Mesut Ozil has provided 49 assists in 138 Premier League appearances, if he assists in this game he’ll set a competition record for the fewest games taken to reach 50 assists (currently held by Eric Cantona, 143 apps).
- Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in four goals in his last four Premier League games against Arsenal (two goals, two assists).
Related links
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