After 100 days without Premier League football due to the Coronavirus pandemic, England’s top flight makes it return with a banger as Manchester City take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. This match was rearranged twice this season and was the first league match to be postponed after Arsenal boss Mike Arteta tested positive for the virus.
City will resume knowing very well that their title defence is nearly over. The Citizens were 25 points behind leaders Liverpool before the break, and it looks all but certain that the title will be heading to Merseyside.
Defeat here will mean Jurgen Klopp’s men will need just one win to make their title success official.
Arsenal have been poor on the road this season, winning just one of their last 12 games. But with matches now being played behind closed doors, they will be hoping for an improvement in results.
They are eight points behind Chelsea in the race for a place in the Champions League, and defeat here will dampen their already fading chances. They were in good form before the break though, winning three on the bounce.
They haven’t won four in a row since 2018, and are yet to lose a League game this year. They have also kept three clean sheets in their last four games, as much as they did in their previous 23.
Aston Villa will take on Sheffield United at Villa Park. The Villains are 19th on the log and two points away from safety, and were soundly beaten 4-0 by Leicester in their last game before the break.
Sheffield on the other hand will continue their push for a spot in the Champions League next season. They are five points off the top four and will be hoping to cut down the gap here.
