Manchester City – Arsenal

The centrepiece of the second round of the Premier League will end in favour of the reigning champions

The Etihad Stadium has already hosted many crucial continental and national fixtures this season. However, Wednesday's match will be key not only to the next round of the Premier League, but also to the entire second round of the championship. Pep Guardiola's side have underperformed Arteta's side all season long and, at times, have slipped more frequently than the competition. However, Manchester City reached the peak of their playing form at the right time. It was when the decisive games in all competitions involving the Mancunians were at hand. Arsenal, on the other hand, were in one breath through the first half of the season, but began to lose points at the most crucial moment. The frequency of the defections, including in the most casual situations, from the favourites of the season to the match against the main and only rival in the fight for the title has led the Canaries as the outsiders in the championship race. Bookmakers underlined the "who's who" with their odds, offering a modest 1.55 on the home side's victory. Manchester City lost to Southampton in the English League Cup and Manchester United in the Premier League in two consecutive games in the first half of January. The Mancunians have since allowed only a couple of minor missteps in more than three months, sweeping their opponents out of the way in the three remaining tournaments with them. Bayern, Leipzig, Newcastle, Liverpool and City's upcoming opponent, Arsenal, among others, have all been broken during that period. Last Saturday, Manchester City won eleven of their last twelve fixtures, securing a trip to the FA Cup final. In the Championship, Guardiola's side are five points behind Arsenal with two games to spare. In other words, they are ahead of the Canaries in terms of points lost. Holland and company will look to drive a stake into their title rivals' ambitions on Wednesday by beating them again in a head-to-head encounter. Mikel Arteta missed the threads of team management at the most crucial moment as the Canaries reached the finish line in the title fight. Arsenal have taken part in three Premier League fixtures in the last three weeks, which have seen the club lose six points to three draws. The visitors will come to the Etihad with the level of play of a mid-table side and will lose to the reigning champions for the eighth time in a row.