Premier League Big Match Focus: How to back a 9/2 Bet Builder in Arsenal v Manchester City

• City have won last 12 v Arsenal in the league

• Rodri and De Bruyne absences important

• Read Betfair's new 90 minute payout offer here

• Claim your completely free Acca or Bet Builder here!

Arsenal v Man City
Sunday, 16:30
Sky Sports Main Event

Last season's Premier League top two are set for their fifth meeting this calendar year, with Manchester City holding the upper hand over Arsenal so far.

City knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup in January before doing a league double over the London side en route to winning the treble. Arsenal drew first blood this season, though, thanks to a. Penalty shoot-out win in the Community Shield.

Just one point separates the two teams after City lost their 100 percent record with defeat at Wolves last time out. Arsenal made up ground by beating Bournemouth, but suffered a frustrating European reverse away to Lens in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Missing men important

When City midfielder Rodri was sent off against Nottingham Forest, it may well have given Arsenal their first glimmer of hope in a game which they are now 19/102.90 to win. The Spaniard scored home and away against Mikel Arteta's side in the 2021-22 season, including a painful last-minute winner in North London, but his all-round game is just as vital as his often-important goals.

City have lost just 13.2% of the 144 Premier League games in which Rodri has featured. For the 15 in which he hasn't been available, that number soars to 33.3%, while they also face more shots, concede more goals and take fewer points across Rodri-less outings.

If that wasn't bad enough for the away side, Kevin De Bruyne was already set to miss the game through injury. The Belgium star has six goals and two assists in his last eight Premier League games against the Gunners, including two goals and an assist when City beat Arsenal 4-1 in April.

Arteta's bogey team

Arsenal boss Arteta has taken on 24 different Premier League opponents since his appointment as manager, winning against 23 of them. No prizes for guessing that City are the exception, and Pep Guardiola's men are 4/111.36 to win or draw on Sunday.

The Gunners' miserable run against City isn't just an Arteta thing, though. Their current losing run of 12 on the bounce against Guardiola's team is their longest ever against one Premier League opponent, and Arsène Wenger was in charge for their last win in this league fixture when Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud delivered a 2-1 victory in 2015.

Earlier that same calendar year, Arsenal won 2-0 away at the Etihad Stadium. That game marks their most recent league shutout against City, home or away, though they did claim a 2-0 win in the 2020 FA Cup semi-final. If you like the idea of another shutout, City are 11/43.75 to fail to score.

Saka and Haaland key

Bukayo Saka was forced off early against Lens and Arteta was pessimistic about the forward's fitness going into the game. Saka was named in Gareth Southgate's England squad, but his availability to face City is the first question.

Saka has been Arsenal's main man of late with five goal involvements in the last five games. He has also scored in each of Arsenal's last two home games against Sunday's opponents, and is 3/14.00 to net this weekend.

For the opposition, it's hard to look past Erling Haaland as the main man. He is 11/102.11 to score at anytime on Sunday, and if he does so he will equal Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in five straight games in London as a visiting player.

Arsenal v Manchester City prediction

Manchester City last lost back-to-back Premier League games all the way back in December 2018. Back then, Leicester and Crystal Palace - could Wolves and Arsenal fill the same role this time around?

Yes, Rodri's absence will be keenly felt by City, but City beat Manchester United 6-3 without him last season. If he misses the game but Saka does as well, the champions should still have enough to get the job done.

Arsenal's eight-game unbeaten run is the joint-longest in the league, but records are there to be broken. With Betfair offering a completely free Bet Builder or acca this weekend, our focus is on the Bet Builder market, with City to win, both teams to score and Haaland anytime scorer available at 9/25.50.

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