Pundits Predictions for Man City vs Arsenal – Paul Merson, Chris Sutton and Lawro

What are the pundits predicting for today’s big match between Manchester City and Arsenal? We take a look at what the top pundits are predicting the score will be at the Etihad today as we get the first big top of the table clash of the season.

Chris Sutton, Paul Merson and Lawro predict the scores of every Premier League game each weekend and all eyes will be on Manchester this afternoon as Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta go head to head.

See that the pundits are predicting below and we have added the odds to their correct scores if you want to have a bet.

 

Chris Sutton

Sutton told his BBC column: “Arsenal got a lot of praise for the way they shut out City here for a draw last season, but they then lost the title race by two points.

Of course that left them open to anyone who wanted to be ‘Captain Hindsight’ – like I did when I turned the result around and used it to question the Gunners.

Yes, that criticism was harsh but we are talking about the fine margins between finishing first and second.

Inter Milan showed on Wednesday that you can hurt City at the same time as keeping them quiet, and they were very brave with the way they were playing out. They surprised me actually, because they beat City’s press very easily.

I don’t like to back against Arsenal because, defensively, they are so strong. They have also won all but one of their 11 away Premier League games in 2024 – the exception being that draw at the Etihad in March – and have kept nine clean sheets.

That is incredible and, if they wanted to, 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.”

Sutton’s prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal (8/1 with Star Sports. Sign-up here to get their £25 welcome bonus)

 

Paul Merson

“No matter how suffocated they get, City always end up creating chances.

“I like John Stones and Ruben Dias together, but they don’t play with each other consistently enough like the Arsenal duo (Gabriel and William Saliba).

“Kevin De Bruyne is likely to miss this game, but City have incredible depth. My head is saying Manchester City, but my heart is saying ‘don’t get beat Arsenal’. But if I had to pick one team to win, that would be City. But I’m still going for a draw.”

Merson’s prediction: Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal (13/2 with bet365: Sign-up here to get their £30 welcome bonus)

 

Lawro

“I was impressed with Arsenal against Spurs, they always looked like they were going to win even though they didn’t create many chances. Of the two teams you just felt it was going to be them. Manchester City could, honestly, have been 3-0 down at home against Brentford, they just weren’t quite at it, and Inter Milan created a few chances on Wednesday night as well.

I’m going to go with Arsenal to nick it and throw a cat among the pigeons. I’m just not quite sure all’s rosy at City at the moment, especially with those 115 charges hanging over them. They can say what they like but will be a distraction, especially for Pep Guardiola having to talk about it all the time.

Lawro’s prediction: Manchester City 1-2 Arsenal (16/1 with bet365)

 

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