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Former Arsenal centre-back Sol Campbell has backed his former side to beat Manchester City on Sunday, September 21. The two sides will face off at the Emirates in a crucial Premier League clash.
The Gunners have had a good start to the season with four wins in five games across competitions. Their only defeat came against Liverpool at Anfield. Manchester City, meanwhile, have won two and lost two of their opening four games. They beat Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United but lost against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Sharing his prediction for the upcoming clash, Campbell told Paddy Power (via Metro):
"I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a 2-1 Arsenal win. I think they’ve got the bit between the teeth. Hopefully they’ve learned from Liverpool and just find that balance between defence and that gamble in attack.
"You need to trust the defence a little bit. You can’t have everyone back. You need the risk and reward. You need to find that balance. Maybe you can be a bit more conservative away from home, but finding that balance is key."
Notably, another former Premier League star, Troy Deeney, has predicted Manchester City to beat Arsenal 2-1 instead.
Sol Campbell explains how Arsenal should deal with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland
In their Premier League game on Sunday, the Gunners will have to deal with Erling Haaland, who has had a terrific start to the season. He has scored five goals in four games for Manchester City, including a brace against Manchester United in their last game.
When asked how he would look to deal with Haaland, the former Arsenal man said (via Metro):
"It’s all about making sure you reduce the space, reduce and cover the space behind. If you’ve got him running and the ball slipped down the sides, you don’t really want that. Cover the key areas he operates in and that he likes to attack. I think once you do that, once you make sure those balls down the line are not slipped down for him to gallop, it is more controllable."
"You want to keep him in front of you, control that zone he wants to be in. As long as you do the right things and don’t try to be too clever with the off-side trap, you have a chance. And if he makes a run, go with the run. As soon as you switch off and that green ocean behind you is vacant, you are in trouble. Sometimes he gets into those positions too easy. That’s how he got one of his goals against Man United last weekend."
Haaland has scored four goals and provided two assists in eight games against Arsenal. Manchester City have won three, lost three, and drawn the other two games in that time.
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Aditya Singh
Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.
A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.
Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.
Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.
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