Success! Thank you for signing up to Independent Betting
Arsenal vs Man City betting tips:
- Man City to win – 4/5 with Spreadex
- Erling Haaland to score – 4/5 with Bet365
- Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals – 1/1 with BetUK
Manchester City will aim to secure a ninth consecutive victory over Arsenal when the teams meet in the Community Shield on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s men finished five points clear of the Gunners at the top of the Premier League table last season.
They ended up clinching a famous treble by winning the FA Cup and the Champions League in May, cementing their status as the best team in the business.
UK betting sites make City the odds-on favourites to add another piece of silverware to their bulging trophy cabinet this weekend.
However, City have lost a couple of key players this summer, as Ilkay Gundogan moved to Barcelona and Riyad Mahrez joined the exodus to Saudi Arabia.
Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne is also out injured, so Arsenal may fancy their chances of finally ending their losing streak against the Citizens. Yet they will also be shorthanded, as star striker Gabriel Jesus faces a spell on the sidelines following knee surgery.
We have analysed both teams’ chances of winning this match below, and we have provided the reasoning behind our tips.
Arsenal vs Man City odds: Back City to maintain dominance
Arsenal were five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League table when they headed to the Etihad Stadium for a crucial showdown in April.
However, they left Manchester with their title dreams in tatters after suffering a devastating 4-1 defeat to Guardiola’s men.
De Bruyne produced a midfield masterclass that day, scoring twice to put Arsenal to the sword, while John Stones and Erling Haaland completed the rout.
It was City’s third victory against the Gunners that season, having beaten them 3-1 at the Emirates and 1-0 in the FA Cup.
Arsenal’s last win against City came at the height of the pandemic in July 2020, when they secured a shock 2-0 victory in front of an empty Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup semi-final.
Since then, City have rattled off eight consecutive wins against the Gunners, and they should maintain that trend on Sunday.
It is worth noting that they have a poor recent record in the Community Shield, losing 3-1 to Liverpool last year and 1-0 to Leicester in 2021.
However, that dominant performance against Arsenal in April is still fresh in the memory, so odds of 4/5 on a Man City win this weekend look very attractive. Those odds are available on new betting sites BetUK and Parimatch.
Erling Haaland will be keen to return to action
Haaland fired in 52 goals in 53 appearances for City last season, breaking all manner of records in the process.
However, the goals dried up towards the end of the campaign for the Norwegian superstar, as he only found the back of the net once in his final eight matches.
Instead, it was Gundogan who came to the fore by scoring the crucial goals that carried City over the line in their pursuit of the treble.
They can no longer rely on the German midfield maestro, while De Bruyne is out injured, so Haaland will need to grab this game by the scruff of the neck.
He scored in the 3-1 win against Arsenal at the Emirates last term and he also beat Aaron Ramsdale in that 4-1 victory at the Etihad.
Haaland should still benefit from strong service from the likes of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden on Sunday and he looks well priced to get on the scoresheet at 4/5 on football betting sites.
Can Arsenal find the back of the net?
Arsenal scored in 34 of their 38 league matches last season, led by the attacking brilliance of Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli.
Their games averaged 3.45 goals, which was the second highest tally in the league, and over 2.5 goals paid off in 68 per cent of their matches.
Meanwhile, City scored in 35 of their 38 games. Their matches averaged 3.34 goals, and over 2.5 goals landed in 66 per cent of them.
A combination of both teams to score and over 2.5 goals was a successful bet in both league meetings between Arsenal and City last season, and it should pay off again on Sunday.
While they may be missing their talismanic forward, Arsenal still boast a great deal of firepower in Saka, Martinelli, Ødegaard, Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard, so they should score in this game. A 2-1 or 3-1 win for Man City appears to be the most likely outcome.
If you plan to follow any of our Community Shield betting tips this weekend check out what free bets are available for new customers across a wide range of our recommended bookmakers.
Updated by
Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
