Former Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has predicted an intense game between his old team and Arsenal when the two meet on Wednesday night. The sides are both battling it out for the Premier League title this season, with both the Gunners and City having their fate in their own hands.
It may require a win at the Etihad Stadium for Mikel Arteta to gain the advantage though, with their gap at the top reduced to just five points, with their rivals holding two games in hand. After three consecutive draws in a row, the Spaniard is looking for his side to battle back.
"We knew from the beginning that City was the team to beat with Liverpool because of what those teams have done in the past few years," Arteta said in the build-up to the game. "They fully deserve that credit and to be at the top. We wanted to close that gap as much as we could and we’re toe-to-toe with them.
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"We knew we had to go to the Etihad, we know that after that we’re going to have five more difficult games. We know tonight is going to be a massive game. Is it going to define the season? The answer is no."
Previewing the big clash, Aguero has given plenty of praise to Arteta for his style of play, telling Stake.com: "Probably, the same thing he's said throughout the season [about sticking with the same style of play]. They've played superbly, they've gained confidence in the way they play. Arteta's work with the whole roster was extraordinary, especially with the youngest players. They want the glory – but they'll have to take on City first. And we'll fight until the very end."
With the match being a highly anticipated one, they can sometimes fall flat amongst the hype that is generated around their importance. Aguero doesn't necessarily believe this will be the case, with the closing of the points gap adding intensity to the game that may not have been there before.
He continued: "A key match for sure, but certainly a different game than, say, if Arsenal had a bigger point advantage on the table. Now, we can expect a heightened intensity because of how tight it's become. City has had a fine performance lately. We managed to pull it off last year, and we may just do it this year too.
"It ain't over til it's over. I don't see why we should take anything for granted. A win will get City closer to the trophy, yes... but there's no guarantees."
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