Pep Guardiola’s side welcome Arsenal to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday 17 October, with kick-off at 17:30 (UK).
The Gunners got the better of us in our last meeting, winning 2-0 in July’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium to beat us for the first time in eight games.
It is a favourable recent record, but that’s not the only good omen heading into the clash with the North London outfit, as our form immediately after an international break is also particularly positive.
Since Pep Guardiola took charge, the pause in domestic action has done little to disrupt City, who have won 12 of our 15 games immediately after international fixtures since the start of the 2016/17 season.
In that period, we have lost just once in the first game back, when Norwich City inflicted a 3-2 defeat in September 2019.
Forty-four goals have been scored at an average of 2.93 per game, whilst we have kept seven clean sheets and conceded just 11 times.
City’s form under Guardiola is all the more impressive when you focus solely on how we have fared in the match following the October international break.
Three wins, one draw is our record, which includes two particularly memorable victories in the form of 2018/19’s 5-0 defeat of Burnley and the sensational 7-2 thrashing of Stoke City in 2017/18.
Whilst City have prospered following players’ time away with their national team, Arsenal’s form has not been quite as impressive.
In the same four-season period, the Gunners’ have won eight of the 15 games they’ve played after international fixtures.
Last season their returns to action proved particularly frustrating and they failed to win any of their first matches back following the September, October and November breaks.
A 2-2 draw against relegated Watford was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United and another 2-2 draw against Southampton.
Both sides will be going for victory on Saturday, and, having won only one of our opening three Premier league games, City will be hoping another strong return to action can kick start a good run of form.
You can watch full match replays of every City men’s first team game within 24-hours of the final whistle with a CITY+ subscription.
