City @ 5/6
Arsenal @ 10/3
Draw @ 13/5
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Manchester City v Arsenal – the biggest game of the season so far – is a 4:30pm kick-off on Sunday. The two best teams of recent times, and the two clubs who currently occupy positions 1 & 2 in the Premier League table.
But as we approach just the 5th round of fixtures in the 2024/25 campaign, could this clash already be considered a title decider? Is that really where we are?
A comfortable win for City and many may feel the season is effectively over. Is anyone other than Arsenal even remotely equipped to stop them? Haaland is looking irrepressible; Rodri appears unflappable; and Rico Lewis has confidently freshened up the full-back berth.
But the extent to which Manchester City are favourites to triumph on Sunday has fluctuated over the course of the week.
On Monday, the day after a depleted Arsenal ground out a victory in the North London Derby, it felt like the defending champions were huge favourites. The Gunners were rightly praised for finding a way to win, but didn’t really look ready to face the sternest test the division has to offer.
Declan Rice will be back to shore things up at The Etihad, but Martin Ødegaard will not – ligament damage sidelining the Norwegian for an extended period. Surely only a full-strength Arsenal would pose any genuine threat of victory?
By Wednesday night, however, Manchester City’s aura of imperium had faded slightly. Held at home by Inter Milan in the Champions League, they looked surprisingly sluggish – the most consistent and devastating City attacks were carried out by their garish new kit…on the eyes of all unfortunate onlookers.
Another dent in the armour was generated when Belgian pass-threader, Kevin de Bruyne, left the show at the interval. His level of participation in doubt this weekend; surely a good thing for the forthcoming visitors.
But by Friday morning the pendulum of momentum had wobbled again. Arsenal were resolute but uninspiring in bringing a draw home from Bergamo against Atalanta. An outstanding double-save from David Raya being the major highlight of the Italian job.
This did not look like a team who could seriously trouble Manchester City. Where is the goal threat? Where the intricate, incisive short passing? Is Ødegaard’s absence more damaging than was previously thought? Is another ground-out draw the best Arsenal can hope for this Sunday?
More up and downs, then, than 7 Days spent in the company of Craig David. But I don’t think there will be too much ‘chilling’ going on this Sunday. At least, not by Arsenal.
My main concern, however, is that if City do win comfortably on Sunday, neutral fans will quickly become disillusioned with what takes place on football pitches…and will start to turn their attention towards courtroom shenanigans.
Now that the hearing examining the 115 alleged financial irregularities is underway, football obsessives may turn to the law for their entertainment, as well as for the opportunity to see Manchester City stand a realistic chance of losing a title.
People will take their pie and steaming cup of gravy and occupy makeshift terraces outside the International Dispute Resolution Centre. Season ticket holders will begin to find themselves doodling thigh tattoo designs on high street cafe napkins featuring Premier League lawyer Adam Lewis KC. And our young people will no longer dream of becoming professional footballers, favouring a career in the complex arena of corporate law instead.
This is a future nobody wants to see.
So come on Arsenal! Let’s try and keep the season interesting…for a little bit longer, anyway. I don’t want to start having to feign an interest in arid legal matters. I mean, not again…
Joe Hodgson LLB (Hons)
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