Arsenal take to battle with Manchester City this weekend with the season’s first piece of silverware on the table and the importance of the game for the Gunners has increased significantly.
Arsene Wenger’s side find themselves eight points behind the top-four in the Premier League and suffered a premature FA Cup exit at the hands of Nottingham Forest last month, whilst they endured a shock defeat to Ostersunds in the Europa League- although they advanced through to the next round on aggregate.
The north London side will certainly want to return to winning ways when they travel to Wembley this weekend but it will be incredible difficult for them up against the Premier League’s runaway leaders- and one former Liverpool defender expects Arsenal to lose.
Making his weekly predictions for the BBC, Mark Lawrenson backed Manchester City to win 2-0 as he said:
“I won the League Cup with Liverpool on three occasions in the 1980s, and each time we won the league title too. It is great to be able to tuck it under your belt once you have won it, and it kind of kicks you on for the rest of the season.”
“That is why I think this game is so important for Manchester City and their bid to win three trophies, because winning it would take a bit of the pressure off them. So far they have had a brilliant season but they have nothing to show for it yet – that can change this weekend.”
“Will they win at Wembley? Yes. They can start again and really focus on this match after losing to Wigan – and I don’t see Arsenal stopping them.”
Arsenal have won their last nine cup games at Wembley Stadium, including three FA Cup finals, but lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League recently.
