An Etihad encounter that will be followed by millions all around the globe, last season’s top two face off early on as the 2024/25 table starts to take shape.
Meanwhile, for Guardiola and Arteta, it also marks the latest chapter in a compelling and engrossing sub-plot that has seen the pair lock horns in the league nine times to date since Arteta took charge in north London.
The pair know each other better than most of course, with Arteta having been a key part of Pep’s City coaching team between the summer of 2016 and December 2019 before leaving the Etihad to take up the challenge of seeking to restore Arsenal to their former glories.
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Both across the course of Arteta’s three and a half years in Manchester as well as his subsequent time in North London, Pep regularly referenced his admiration and respect for the insight and knowledge provided by the former Everton and Arsenal midfielder.
For his part, Arteta has also spoken at length about what a pivotal figure Pep has proved in his own professional life and the enormous esteem in which he holds the City boss.
During the course of Guardiola and Arteta’s respective tenures, City and Arsenal have become familiar rivals.
Away from their scheduled league clashes over that period, the clubs have also met twice in the FA Cup and once in both the Carabao Cup and Community Shield with the sides sharing two wins apiece from those encounters.
In the league however it has been City who have enjoyed the upper hand.
Of City and Arsenal’s nine Premier League meetings to date under Guardiola and Arteta, we have won seven, lose once and played out one draw.
Here, ahead of Sunday’s latest match-up, we focus on the league meetings between the two sides over the past four years.
City 3-0 Arsenal, 17 June 2020
A memorable occasion in more ways than one, Pep and City’s first encounter against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal also came on the day Premier League football returned – albeit behind closed doors – following a three-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid an empty Etihad backdrop with everyone instead watching from home, City returned to action with a vengeance.
Raheem Sterling struck to open the scoring just before the break before a second half penalty from Kevin De Bruyne extended our lead.
An injury time finish from Phil Foden then set the seal on a deserved victory as everyone adjusted to an unfamiliar new football landscape.
City 1-0 Arsenal, 17 Oct 2020
Raheem Sterling proved the difference as City edged a hard-fought affair, again staged at a near deserted Etihad as the COVID-19 protocols extended into the 2020/21 campaign.
The England forward provided the all-important breakthrough on 23 minutes, firing home after Phil Foden’s initial shot had been parried by Gunners’ keeper Bernd Leno to seal a precious three point haul.
Arsenal 0-1 City, 21 Feb 2021
It proved lucky 13 for City as Raheem Sterling once again proved the man of the moment against the Gunners.
His second minute header at the Emirates was enough to clinch what was a 13th straight league win for City and so extend our lead at the top of the Premier League over second-placed Leicester City to 10 points.
It was another dominant display by Pep Guardiola’s side with Sterling twice almost adding to his tally early on and Ilkay Gundogan also desperately unlucky not to score after the break.
City 5-0 Arsenal, 29 Aug 2021
A rampant City served up a five-star display at a rapturous Etihad as we extended our unbeaten Premier League run against Arsenal to 12 matches.
With a capacity 52,000 crowd back in situ, the defending champions served up a veritable footballing feast for the fans.
Pep Guardiola’s side were two up inside 15 minutes thanks to efforts from Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.
With Arsenal then reduced to 10-men after Granit Xhaka’s 34th minute dismissal, Gabriel Jesus then made it 3-0 just before the break with Rodrigo’s brilliant 53rd minute strike further confirming City’s dominance.
And a day to remember was rounded off when Torres claimed his second and City’s fifth six minutes from time.
Arsenal 1-2 City, 1 Jan 2022
It may have been the advent of a New Year, but it proved a comfortingly familiar outcome as a dramatic injury time strike from Rodrigo completed a stirring Emirates fightback from City.
In what proved a New Year’s Day classic, Arsenal initially took the fight to City and went ahead on 31 minutes thanks to Bukayo Saka’s well-taken goal.
However, City levelled through Riyad Mahrez’s 57th minute penalty after VAR adjudged that Bernardo Silva had been fouled by Granit Xhaka and within 60 seconds the hosts were then reduced to 10-men with Gabriel being sent off for a second yellow card.
A rousing, rip-roaring affair was then settled in dramatic fashion in the 93rd minute when Rodrigo struck from close range to secure an 11th straight league win and so move City 11 points clear of second-paced Chelsea.
Arsenal 1-3 City, 15 Feb 2023
As statement victories go, this proved a City masterclass.
Second-half strikes from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland secured a magnificent victory in North London that propelled Pep Guardiola’s men back to the Premier League summit as we leapfrogged the Gunners.
In what was a pulsating and absorbing affair, Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliant and opportunist 24th minute curling effort had given City the lead only for Bukayo Saka to level with a 42nd minute penalty.
As champions do however, City responded in style after the break.
First Grealish restored our lead on 72 minutes, the England man latching onto Haaland’s assist before drilling a powerful shot past Aaron Ramsdale.
Haaland then sealed the deal eight minutes from time, despatching De Bruyne’s inviting pass with a clinical finish.
City 4-1 Arsenal, 26 April 2023
A rampant City served up an Etihad win for the ages as we swept Arsenal aside in unforgettable fashion to lay down an undeniable Premier League title marker.
In front of a raucous and expectant home crowd, Kevin De Bruyne’s seventh minute strike gave Pep Guardiola’s side a deserved early advantage before John Stones’ header on the stroke of half-time doubled the lead.
De Bruyne made it three early in the second period with a measured effort after turning the ball over in Arsenal’s half.
And though Rob Holding reduced the arrears four minutes from time, Erling Haaland’s 95th minute finish set the seal on one of the most memorable victories of Guardiola’s City reign and moved us to within two points of Arsenal’s lead – and with two precious games in hand.
Arsenal 1-0 City, 8 Oct 2023
Gabriel Martinelli’s late goal gave Arsenal their first Premier League win over City since 2015, as Mikel Arteta got the better of mentor Pep Guardiola for the first time as a manager in the competition.
Martinelli, a half-time substitute, scored in the 86th minute with a deflected shot off Nathan Ake to settle a hard-fought affair.
The defeat left us two points behind the Gunners and leaders Tottenham going into the October international break.
City 0-0 Arsenal, 31 March 2024
In what was a tense, feisty affair, chances proved at a premium at both ends of the field as for the first time in 58 games City were denied a goal on home soil.
Nathan Ake and Mateo Kovacic both went close for City whilst former Blue Gabriel Jesus and sub Leandro Trossard threatened for the visitors.
In the end though, the two were forced to settle for a point with Liverpool emerging as new leaders after their earlier 2-1 win at home to Brighton.
They proved to be our last dropped points of the campaign, winning our final nine matches to claim a record fourth successive Premier League title.
