
Joe Cole believes Arsenal’s match against Manchester City will hinge on key moments and errors.
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole stated that the upcoming Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City will hinge on “mistakes” and “moments,” with Pep Guardiola’s squad being “absolutely the favourites” to win.
Arsenal holds a six-point advantage atop the Premier League, though City has a game in hand, potentially reducing the gap to three points with a victory at the Etihad.
Despite City's recent resurgence, including notable triumphs over Liverpool and Chelsea, Arsenal has faced setbacks domestically, having exited the FA Cup at the hands of Southampton and lost to Bournemouth in the league last weekend.
Although the Gunners secured a 0-0 draw against Sporting on Wednesday night to reach the Champions League semi-finals, Cole emphasized the need for “perspective,” pointing out that Mikel Arteta’s players “are not playing well” currently.
Cole noted that there was little difference between the teams in City's 2-0 victory in the Carabao Cup final and predicted a similar outcome this weekend.
“In this one-off, it’ll be moments within the game, it will be mistakes [that decide the match]. It’ll be edgy, blocked off,” he said.
“City are definitely favourites. I don’t think it bothers them. He’s [Pep Guardiola] playing mind games with everyone else,” Cole remarked, adding that “if Arsenal can avoid defeat, I think they win the league.”
Martin Keown, a former Arsenal defender, shared that his old team needs to “find form” in the remaining matches but acknowledged that “City have found their mojo again” lately.

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Arsenal will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions league semi-finals as they continue their quest for a double (Getty)
City's last league defeat dates back to January; however, they have recently drawn with both West Ham and Nottingham Forest and suffered a defeat to Real Madrid in the round of 16 in Europe.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has grappled with its own challenges in recent weeks, particularly with the League Cup defeat in late March. They approach the Etihad knowing a draw could be sufficient for securing the title later.
The Gunners have six league matches remaining as they aim for their first Premier League title since 2004, while City has seven left, with the schedule for their game in hand against Crystal Palace still pending.
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