Arsenal vs. Manchester City: Date, Time and Preview

When Arsenal and Manchester City take the pitch for an international friendly on Friday, these intense rivals should play a great match as they prepare for the start of the Barclays Premier League.  

In their most recent matchup on April 8, Arsenal defeated Manchester City 1-0 on a beautiful 87th minute goal by Mikel Arteta.

Last season, Manchester City pulled out an amazing comeback in their last game to capture their first Premier League title in 44 years. This offseason looks promising for the defending champions, who return top striker Mario Ballotelli and have resigned David Silva for top-player money.  

Arsenal made some additions themselves—Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud—who will look to improve a third-place squad from the Premier League last season. Arsenal had a down year for their standards, ending the Premier League season with only 70 points. They are looking to either repair damage or ship out striker Robin Van Persie, who was ordered not to attend the Asian preseason tour.  

Where: Beijing National Stadium, Beijing, China

When: Friday, July 27 2012 at 8:00 a.m. ET

Player to Watch: Carlos Tevez

After making a guest appearance as a caddy at the British Open, Carlos Tevez must now concentrate his efforts on preparing himself for the Premier League slate. On Saturday, Tevez caddied for fellow Argentinian Andres Romero, who finished seven-over for the day. 

In 30 Premier League starts last season, Tevez scored 20 goals, which was down from his 23-goal performance in 2010. Tevez will be key to Man City's success and must step up his game for next season. 

Prediction: Arsenal 1-0

With a sold-out Chinese crowd on its feet, Arsenal will repeat their success from last preseason and will defeat their Premier League rivals. Expect Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to put the Gunners ahead for good, on opening night of the London Olympics.