Nathan Ake was Manchester City’s unlikely match-winner in their 1-0 victory over Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup, helping his side to perhaps land a psychological blow on the Premier League leaders ahead of their top-flight clash next month.
Mikel Arteta prioritised Arsenal’s title challenge with his team selection, resting six regulars for the trip to the Etihad, but a strong City XI struggled to find a way through until defender Ake passed the ball into the bottom corner (64) after sub Julian Alvarez had struck a post.
Guardiola had appeared less than impressed with his side’s first-half performance, which saw Leandro Trossard catch the eye on his first Arsenal start and ended with John Stones appearing to suffer a hamstring injury. But the City head coach eventually got the better of his former assistant Arteta as the home side edged through.
After a shock exit to Southampton in the Carabao Cup, City will now be favourites to win this competition and add to their six FA Cup successes with a second under Guardiola. The draw for the fifth round will take place on Monday, with ties played in the week commencing February 27.
This was far from the thrilling contest Arsenal had been in with City’s neighbours Manchester United last weekend but it added extra intrigue to their upcoming Premier League clash, with February 15 circled as a key date for the destination of the 2022/23 crown.
Arsenal will be disappointed to have been knocked out of the cup – but will hope that, at full strength, they are able to build on the positive aspects of this performance to be the ones celebrating when these sides meet again in a couple of weeks’ time.
How City knocked Arsenal out of the Cup…
Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane called Arteta’s team selection “a huge gamble” before kick-off, criticising the number of changes the Arsenal head coach made to his defence amid suggestions a heavy defeat could dent the Gunners’ mindset for their Premier League campaign. Arsenal fans will remember a 2007/08 title challenge unravelling after a weakened team lost heavily in the cup at Manchester United.
But the re-jigged visitors equipped themselves well, despite Rob Holding needing to be subbed off at half-time after his physical approach to marking Erling Haaland led to him being booked and walking a disciplinary tightrope during the final stages of the opening period.
He’d done well to limit City’s top scorer to an ambitious acrobatic effort and lob over the bar in the first 45 but Arteta perhaps had last season’s north London derby in mind, when Holding was dismissed during a damaging defeat.
Kevin De Bruyne came closest for City before the break, bending a beauty beyond the post. But it was Arsenal posing the real threat in that period, with Trossard impressing down the left as he teed up Takehiro Tomiyasu and Eddie Nketiah and tested Stefan Ortega himself.
John Stones was forced off injured before the break
It was City who eventually made the breakthrough in the second half, though, with Alvarez rocketing an effort against the base of a post soon after being sent on and Jack Grealish then twisting and turning before feeding Ake to calmly roll the ball beyond Matt Turner’s reach.
Arteta sent for key men Oleksandr Zinchenko – back at his old club – and Gabriel Martinelli and the Gunners almost responded just moments later, when Granit Xhaka’s pass looked perfect for Nketiah before Stones’ replacement Aymeric Laporte nipped in.
Martinelli seemed to be Arsenal’s most likely route to goal in the final stages but there was no way back for the 14-time winners of the FA Cup. Their focus will now be firmly on their Premier League challenge for the coming weeks until European competition resumes, while City dream of domestic success on multiple fronts.
What’s next?
Manchester City’s next game is in the Premier League, with a trip to Tottenham on Sunday February 5, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 4.30pm.
Sunday 5th February 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
Pep Guardiola’s side then have a week’s break before they host Aston Villa on Sunday February 12, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 4.30pm.
Arsenal’s next outing is also in the Premier League, with a trip to Everton on Saturday February 4; kick-off 12.30pm.
The Gunners than face London rivals Brentford on Saturday February 11; kick-off 3pm.
