Ex-Arsenal defender Lee Dixon says his former club need to be wary of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s pulling a tactical surprise when the two sides face each other next weekend.

Dixon, who is a boyhood City fan, was speaking to TribalFootball.com when he said that the game could be decided by how Guardiola sets up his team:

“As brilliant as City are, they do give you chances. Their eagerness to get that extra man into midfield and dominate the ball the way they do, leave them a little bit vulnerable at the back. I think Arteta and his team would have looked at it and seen that Liverpool created quite a few chances.”

“Having said that, Arteta is going up against Pep (Guardiola), and as we know, at any moment, Pep will put his team out and then change it just as they are about to kick off and flip everyone in different positions.”

Guardiola is known for taking gambles in big games

The Spaniard has been accused of overthinking in the past, with his tactics in the 2021 Champions League final against Chelsea often cited as an example.

However, Guardiola has generally made the right calls over the years, and the evidence for that is the sheer number of games his team have won against potential title rivals since he took the job.

Who is the favourite to win between City and Arsenal?

As expected, the bookmakers have made the reigning Premier League champions odds-on to secure the three points next Sunday. At the time of writing, Bet 365 have the Cityzens at 17/20 for the win. A draw is 3/1 with William Hill while a victory for Arsenal is 16/5 at Coral.

If Guardiola’s men do come out on top, they will leapfrog their opponents in the table. Liverpool’s result against Brighton would, though, determine whether City go top of the league as well.