Following a tense 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium, the Arsenal and Manchester City rivalry has officially started.
Since Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City back in 2016, the club has won a total of 6 Premier League titles. If City are to successfully win the league this season too, that will be five titles on the bounce for Pep’s men — a record likely never to be broken. This dominance has led to fans of other clubs praying that another team will finally knock City off their perch, and it looks like Arsenal could be the ones to do it.
The past two seasons (22/23 and 23/24) have ultimately seen City win the league. However, Arsenal pushed them to the limit during these campaigns and caused them major problems. After coming up short both times, though, many people in the media put forward the idea that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal simply aren’t capable of winning the league, despite having an excellent squad.
In response to critics, Arsenal have come out firing for the 2024/25 season. They are tough, difficult to break down, and aren’t dropping many points. In other words, they once again look like title contenders, but this time with an extra added edge. Naturally, this meant that all eyes were on Arsenal’s early season Sunday showdown against Manchester City.
The game itself was extremely tense and finished in a 2-2 draw. City were unable to break down 10-man Arsenal during the 2nd half until a last-minute equaliser from John Stones, which sent City fans into a frenzy. There were also lots of flashpoints, including Erling Haaland’s post-match exchange of words with Mikel Arteta, where the Norwegian told the Gunner’s boss to “stay humble”.
In the aftermath, fans of both clubs have been at each other’s throats on social media and the managers have exchanged words in the media. The harshest words came from Pep Guardiola, who issued a clear threat to Arteta: “You want war, now we war.” This has now signalled the start of a new and exciting Premier League rivalry.
Arsenal vs Man City: It’s War
Arsenal and City are now officially at war for the 2024/25 season. It could be argued that the two teams have actually been rivals for several seasons, but now things have really heated up. Originally, it seemed like City expected Arsenal to eventually fade away, but they’ve kept coming back stronger — which has led to Pep’s men finally accepting Arsenal as a genuine threat.
So, will Arsenal win the league? There’s a strong chance. This is reflected in the current sportsbook odds:
- Arsenal 3/2
- Man City 7/4
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At the start of the season, every major sportsbook had City down as favourites to win the league, including Ladbrokes, Sky Bet, William Hill. But following Arsenal’s impressive draw at the Etihad and City recently dropping points against Newcastle, most bookies have now made Arsenal the favourites to win the league instead.
These odds are primarily based around on-field results. However, the odds are also taking into account the fact that City could possibly be found guilty of 115 FFP charges. If City are found guilty, this means the club will likely receive a hefty points deduction, causing them to drop out of the title race. Arsenal would then receive a golden ticket to win the league, providing Liverpool don’t give them a last-minute scare.
Until early 2025, which is when the court hearing is expected to finish, it will be business as usual for Arsenal and City. Both teams have packed schedules heading into the Christmas period and New Year, but it’s expected that Arsenal will keep picking up results and potentially be leading City in points by the time the court verdict arrives. Arsenal will also play City at home on February 1st 2025, which looks set to be a season-defining game — especially if City are found innocent before then.
Arteta and Pep Head-to-Head Record

Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola have played a total of 9 games against each other as managers. Currently, Pep is the resounding leader with 7 wins, while Arteta has only 1 win. There’s also been 1 draw between them, which was the most recent encounter that ended 2-2 at the Etihad stadium.
Now that the rivalry between Arsenal and City is official, Arteta will need to start winning against Pep in order to convince the remaining doubters that Arsenal can win the league. Following his arrival at Arsenal back in 2019, Arteta has slowly assembled a title-contending squad worth over £1 billion, so the foundation is certainly in place. Arsenal are no longer pushovers and can beat anyone on their day, even if it means deploying the “dark arts”.
This was best highlighted by Arsenal’s recent visit to the Etihad, where they frustrated City and held them to a 2-2 with just 10 men on the pitch. If this game had taken place during previous eras, such as towards the end of Arsène Wenger’s reign, then it would have undoubtedly ended with Arsenal losing the game by a big margin. It’s testament to how far Arsenal have come under Arteta, as well as the winning mentality that’s been instilled in them.
The Rivalry Has Only Just Begun
Just recently, Arteta signed a new 3-year contract with Arsenal to keep him with the Gunners until at least 2027. Despite the fact that Pep’s current contract is set to expire in the summer of 2025, the current Blues boss is also expected to sign a new deal over the coming months, too. This means that the Arteta and Pep rivalry is only just getting started, so there’s plenty more to come. Whether Arsenal will be able to finally beat City for the league title remains to be seen. One thing for certain, though, is that this rivalry could be one for the ages.