Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Champions ‘expected to bounce back’ with a win at the Emirates

Manchester City head to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Sunday (16:30 GMT) finding themselves a whopping 17 points behind Liverpool in the title race.

After stumbling to a 2-1 home loss to Manchester United in the derby last weekend, there is simply no margin for error remaining for the champions if they are to win a third successive title under manager Pep Guardiola.

The hosts, meanwhile, recorded their first win under interim manager and former player Freddie Ljungberg on Monday night in a 3- 1 win at West Ham.

The performance was still far from convincing, however, leading the bookmakers to expect City to bounce back with a win here despite their recent form.

City are 4/9 to leave the Emirates with the three points for a third successive season.

The draw is 4/1, with an Arsenal win 5/1.

Indeed, City have dominated this fixture of late, having won the past five meetings in all competitions.

Given both sides’ defensive leakiness this season, both teams to score is unsurprisingly 1/2; these short odds are doubly understandable when you consider that Arsenal have not failed to score at home this season, and neither have City away from home.

A City win with both teams to score, therefore, appeals at 11/8. It’s tough to see Arsenal being able to keep City’s array of attacking options from scoring at least two goals.

Gabriel Jesus is a generous looking 5/6 to score anytime after his hat-trick heroics in Zagreb in the Champions League in midweek, with Raheem Sterling 21/20 to bag his seventh away league goal of the season.

Nicolas Pepe, who scored his first league goal from open play for Arsenal in the win over West Ham, is a value pick at 4/1 should he be selected from the start.