There's no denying the fact that Arsene Wenger has done a tremendous deed at Arsenal over the years. However, just as it was time for Bobby Bowden to step down from Florida State or Joe Paterno to step down from Penn State or John Wooden to walk away from UCLA, it's time for Wenger to go. It's really gotten caustic between Wenger and the fans at the Emirates, and that makes it hard to tip the Gunners against Man City on Sunday.
At 11 a.m. ET, tune into NBC Sports Network for live television coverage of this English Premier League match on Sunday, April 2, 2017, at Emirates Stadium.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Arsenal +195
Manchester City +130
Draw +270
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
They call it St. Totteringham's Day every single season. It's the day that Arsenal locks up a finish in front of hated Tottenham on the Premier League table. This year? The holiday is likely to be canceled. The Gunners are nine back of the Spurs, albeit with a match in hand, but it's hard to see them fighting all the way back to finish in front of their London foes this year even though it has been a rite of passage in the past.
This match has a good chance of not making things any better. Arsenal is a +190 underdog on the moneyline against the Citizens. Man City, who probably has to be perfect to have any chance of running down Chelsea from 12 behind and 10 fixtures to go, is set at +130 on the road.
The total of 2.5 with -135 vig on the over suggests that both teams are going to score, though it should be noted that the 13 Manchester City matches this year away from the Etihad have netted a total of just 33 goals.
Key Injuries
Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundongen were both already out for the long haul for Manchester City, but this week, there was some disturbing news on the injury front. Kevin De Bruyne withdrew himself from Belgium's team for a groin injury, while both Bacary Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta came back to the squad with minor problems picked up while serving for their nations, too. None of the injuries appear serious, but these are knocks to watch for sure.
Arsenal has a slew of injuries to deal with at the moment. Santiago Cazorla is out for likely the rest of the year, while Petr Cech is still probably a week or two away from returning from a calf injury he picked up against West Brom just before the international break. Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs, Mesut Ozil, Lucas Perez… this list is awfully long with a lot of great players who might miss this match, and that could be a big deal for the Gunners.
Recent Form
The last week before the international hiatus was a tough one for the Citizens. They coughed up a 5-3 lead against AS Monaco in the Champions League, ultimately getting sent home 6-6 on away goals, and that was followed up by a 1-1 draw at home against Liverpool that probably snuffed out any last hopes of winning the Premier League this season. The week away should have helped, but the three new injuries that didn't exist before the break are now a concern.
Arsenal is still kicking in the FA Cup, but that's about all we can say about the club. The team was trashed 3-1 at Liverpool on March 4, was pushed aside in the UCL by Bayern Munich by a whopping 10-2 score on aggregate and was crushed at West Brom 3-1. The last thing Wenger needed was two matches to be played here at home in a span of just a few days.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The Gunners look lifeless, but maybe the week away from Wenger and the drama that surrounds his seemingly inevitable pending departure will do the club well. Manchester City has itself a fantastic side, and when Sergio Aguero is on his game as he has been in recent weeks, this is a dangerous, dangerous club.
But there's something about the Citizens on the road that is a big concern. They have just four wins on the term on the road, and the fact that they're favorites here at the Emirates is a bit shocking. We'll take our chances with the Gunners as slight dogs on the Asian Handicap and have a shot at a return on a draw.
English Premier League Odds: Arsenal 2, Manchester City 1
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