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Arsenal vs Manchester City Preview: Odds, Tips, and Prediction

Date: 21 September 2025 Kick-off (UK Time): 18:30 Venue: Emirates Stadium Arsenal welcome Manchester City to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, 21 September 2025. These are two of the would-be challengers, and games between them are always fierce. You can find plenty of value in this tie for soccer bettors who are looking to maximise their bet slip at some of the best football betting sites in the industry.

Thierry Henry
Nigel Naicker

Last updated: 2025-09-18

Chad Nagel

5 minutes read

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Erling Haaland looks at Arsenal's Brazilian defender #06 Gabriel Magalhaes

Erling Haaland and Gabriel Magalhaes/Getty Images

The Gunners host Manchester City in gameweek five of the Premier League, and it is set to be an enthralling encounter between two juggernauts of the game. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side have started the campaign with three wins from four games and are always a formidable force at home. 
The visitors, however, have had a stuttering start to the campaign. Pep Guardiola’s side has won two and lost two of their four games in the league and will have the memory of the 5-1 hammering they got here last season in mind as they make the trip to North London on Sunday. 

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability

  1. Home: 9/4 (3.25) – 40.5% 

  2. Draw: 5/2 (3.50) – 30.6%

  3. Away: 23/20 (2.15) – 25.9% 

    Odds courtesy of Betway subject to change

Head-to-Head Record

  1. 1

    02/02/25 – Arsenal 5-1 Man City

  2. 2

    22/09/24 – Man City 2-2 Arsenal

  3. 3

    31/03/24 – Man City 0-0 Arsenal

  4. 4

    08/10/23 – Arsenal 1-0 Man City

  5. 5

    26/04/23 – Man City 4-1 Arsenal

Arsenal Current Form – WWLW

The home side has nine points out of 12, and their only defeat in the league came away to the champions Liverpool. After edging Manchester United by a goal to nil on the opening day of the season at Old Trafford, Arteta’s side went on to claim two convincing wins against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, respectively, in their other two wins of the competition. 

Gabriel Martinelli reacts following the English Premier League football match

Gabriel Martinelli /Getty Images

Key Players to watch

  • Eberechi Eze
    The English international has settled in well following his move from Crystal Palace. Eze has featured down the left and is a threat in the 1v1, as well as possessing the ability to create from wide. 
  • Viktor Gyokeres
    The Swede has hit the ground running in the Premier League and has already registered three times in his four appearances in the division. 
  • Martin Zubimendi 
    Zubimendi is a technically gifted number six that has the ability to contribute in the final third. The Spanish midfielder scored a brace in the previous encounter at home to Forest and looks like a real coup for the Gunners. 

Arsenal Team News

Captain Martin Odegaard suffered another shoulder injury last time out and is a doubt. Bukayo Saka is still recovering from a hamstring injury, while Wiliiam Saliba has an ankle issue. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are the long-term absentees with knee injuries.

Manchester City Current Form – WLLW

The visitors have had a mixed bag of results in their opening four encounters in the Premier League. After a four-nil thrashing of Wolves on the opening day, Guardiola’s side lost back-to-back games against Brighton and Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, before getting back to winning ways in style against old-time rivals, Manchester United. 

Erling Haaland scores the team's first goal during the English Premier League

Erling Haaland /Getty Images

Key Players to watch

  • Erling Haaland
    The Norwegian is averaging over a goal a game currently in his first four Premier League games. Haaland will also be high on confidence following his brace in the Manchester derby last week. 
  • Rodri
    Rodri is a key cog in the City midfield. The Spanish midfielder sets the tempo in the middle of the park and breaks up play excellently with his interceptions. 
  • Phil Foden 
    Foden is a creative threat in the final third, and he has started the new season well in Guardiola’s side. The 25-year-old will be eager to add to his first goal of the campaign he bagged against United last time out. 

Manchester City Team News

Omar Marmoush is the long-term absentee after picking up a knee injury. Matteo Kovacic has an Achilles problem, and Ryan Cherki is nursing a thigh issue. John Stones (Muscle) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (Knock) will be assessed ahead of the game and may give City a big boost ahead of the trip to face Arsenal. 

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya, Timber, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Nwaneri, Madueke, Eze, Gyokeres 

  2. Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland

Suggested Bets

If you are new to betting, you can enhance your potential profits by checking out these suggested picks at some of the leading sportsbooks with great welcome bonuses

  1. Over 3.5 Goals: Three of the previous five encounters between these sides have seen over 3.5 goals registered in the game. (37/20 with Betway)

  2. Both Teams to Score (Yes): Both teams found the back of the net in three of the previous five games between these sides. (69/100 with Betway)

Value Bets

Understanding key betting rules can also help ensure clarity when navigating different markets and potential outcomes.

  1. Viktor Gyokeres Anytime Goal Scorer: The Swede has three goals in four appearances in the Premier League. Back him to find the net against City. (Forecast odds: Odds available closer to kick-off with 10Bet) 

  2. Erling Haaland Anytime Goal Scorer: Haaland has started the season in red-hot form and has already scored five goals in his opening four games in the competition. Forecast odds: Odds available close to kick-off with Bet UK)

Prediction: Arsenal to Win and Both Teams to Score

Arsenal have recruited heavily in attack and added to a defence that has been the best in Europe for over two years now. City look very different from the world-beaters they were a couple of seasons ago, and following the 5-1 drubbing handed to them over the hosts in last year's game at the Emirates, back the Gunners to claim victory but concede in the process. 

Thierry Henry
Nigel NaickerSports Writer

Nigel Naicker brings a decade of sports writing expertise, covering football’s biggest leagues, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, alongside cricket and UFC. A dedicated storyteller since 2014, he now joins the SportsBoom team, eager to deliver in-depth and engaging narratives across multiple sports.