BBC pundit Chris Sutton is backing Manchester City to secure victory against Arsenal this afternoon.
Pep Guardiola’s men head into the game at the Etihad off the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw against Inter in the Champions League but Sutton says he is “expecting a reaction” from the home side, despite the danger the Gunners pose:
“They could cause City problems on the counter-attack too, the same way Inter did. I was at that game and thought City were well below their best. Erling Haaland was quiet and Kevin De Bruyne might not be fit to face the Gunners after getting injured before half-time.
“Still, it is almost two years since City failed to score in two successive games – October 2022, when they drew 0-0 in Copenhagen in the Champions League and then lost at Anfield in the Premier League. I am expecting a reaction, and I don’t think they will be as flat as they were on Wednesday.”
What score prediction has Sutton gone for?
The pundit expects the Cityzens to win 2-1, which would be a good result considering how tough Arsenal are to break down. The corresponding fixture ended 0-0 last season.
Many feel that this will be a similarly tight affair but, if City can put two goals past their opponents this weekend, you would think that would be enough to get the three points.
The latest team news ahead of Manchester City v Arsenal
As Sutton mentions, Kevin De Bruyne may not be fit due to the groin injury he sustained against Inter. Savinho is also a doubt after going off at half-time on Wednesday evening. Nathan Ake (hamstring) and Oscar Bobb (fractured leg) will be absent too.
For Arsenal, Martin Odegaard (ankle), Mikel Merino (shoulder), Oleksandr Zinchenko (calf), Kieran Tierney (hamstring) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (knee) are all sidelined.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
