Table toppers Manchester City undertake Arsenal in match week 16 of the Premier League once the teams clash on Sunday, December 18, 2011.
Man City suffered their first lack of the league season when they transpired 2-1 away at Chelsea, in match week 15. Lampard became an immediate hero for the home side when he came off the bench to score the match winner seven minutes before time. The sides were locked at 1-1 after Balotelli's early lead for City was neutralised shortly prior to the interval on the rear of Raul Meireles'strike. City began explosively with waves of attack in the very first half hour to exploit Chelsea's porous defence. It culminated in Balotelli's goal, when Aguero cut in from the right to relay the ball past Terry to Aguero who subsequently passed it to Balotelli to do the rest. By the end of your day, City could have rued their many missed scoring opportunities in the very first half when the home side's defence was all at sea, attempting to cope with the marauding City attack. his website discusses this
In match week 15, Arsenal registered a 1-0 victory over Everton, in a match hosted by Gunners at the Emirates. Robin Van Persie - who else - scored the only real goal of the game to provide Arsenal something to celebrate their 125th anniversary by. Van Persie's spectacular volley on 71 minutes brought relief to home fans have been frustrated by the home side's many missed chances.
Face to face, in the last 10 years, Man City and Arsenal have met in 20 league games, with Arsenal winning on 14 occasions and City on 3, with the remaining games ending in stalemates. The last time these teams met was in January 2011; that match played at the Emirates ended in a goalless stalemate.
Man City have won 8, and drawn and lost 1 each of the last 10 league matches, while Arsenal have identically won 8 and drawn and lost 1 each of the last 10 games.
Currently at the the top of table, City have hosted 7 home games, in 2010, winning all 7; the Gunners who're 5th positioned on the league table have experienced 3 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses, inside their 7 away games.
With Chelsea causing City's title bid a delicate jolt in match week 15, the Manchester squad can have a point or more to prove from the Gunners whose ramshackle defence might be put to its stiffest test yet.
Man City's starting eleven against Chelsea: Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Joleon Lescott, Vincent Kompany, Gael Clichy, James Milner, Gnegneri Toure Yaya, Gareth Barry, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli. see his site
Arsenal's starting eleven against Everton: Wojciech Szczesny, Johan Djourou, Per Metresacker, Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen, Mikel Arteta, Alex Song, Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Yao Gervinho, Robin Van Persie.