Man City 1-0 Arsenal: Nathan Ake’s second-half strike wins Pep Guardiola’s side FA Cup win against Premier League title rivals | Soccer News

Nathan Ake was Manchester City’s unlikely winner in their 1-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round, helping his side deliver a psychological blow to the Premier League leaders ahead of their top-flight clash next month .

Mikel Arteta prioritized Arsenal’s title challenge with his squad selection, resting six regulars for the trip to the Etihad, but a strong City XI struggled to find a way until the defender Ake passes the ball into the bottom corner (64) after sub Julian Alvarez hit a post.

Guardiola had appeared less than impressed with his side’s performance in the first half, which saw Leandro Trossard draw attention on his first Arsenal start and ended with John Stones appearing to suffer from a hamstring injury. -legs. But the City head coach finally got the better of his former assistant Arteta as the home side struggled.

After a shock exit at Southampton in the Carabao Cup, City will now be favorites to win this competition and add to their six FA Cup successes with a second under Guardiola. The fifth-round draw will take place on Monday, with draws in the week starting February 27.

It was a far cry from the exciting contest Arsenal had with City neighbors Manchester United last weekend, but it added further intrigue to their upcoming Premier League clash, with February 15 circled as the key date. for the destination of the crown 2022/23.

Arsenal will be disappointed to have been knocked out of the cup – but hope that, at full strength, they can build on the positives of this performance to be the ones celebrating when these teams meet again in a few weeks. time.

How City knocked Arsenal out of the…

Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane called Arteta’s squad selection a ‘huge gamble’ ahead of kick-off, criticizing the number of changes the Arsenal head coach has made to his defense amid suggestions a heavy defeat could shake the Gunners’ spirit for their Premier League campaign. Arsenal fans will remember a 2007/08 title challenge that fell apart after a weakened side suffered a heavy cup loss to Manchester United.

But the re-jigged visitors fitted out well, although Rob Holding had to be substituted at half-time after his physical approach to scoring Erling Haaland led to him being booked and walking a disciplinary tightrope during the last stages of the opening period.

He did well to limit City’s top scorer to an ambitious acrobatic effort and a lob over the bar in the first 45, but Arteta may have had the North London derby in mind last season, when Holding was fired in a damaging loss.

Kevin De Bruyne came the closest for City before the break, folding a beauty beyond the post. But it was Arsenal who posed the real threat in this period, with Trossard impressive down the left as he took on Takehiro Tomiyasu and Eddie Nketiah and tested Stefan Ortega himself.

It was City who finally made the breakthrough in the second half, however, Alvarez launched an effort against the base of a post shortly after being dispatched and Jack Grealish then twisted and turned before feeding Ake for calmly rolling the ball past Matt Turner’s reach. .

Arteta sent key men Oleksandr Zinchenko – back to his former club – and Gabriel Martinelli and the Gunners almost responded moments later when Granit Xhaka’s pass looked perfect for Nketiah before Stones substitute Aymeric Laporte does not intervene.

Martinelli looked like Arsenal’s most likely route to goal in the closing stages, but there was no turning back for the 14-time FA Cup winners. They will now be firmly focused on their Premier League challenge for the coming weeks until European competition resumes, while City dream of domestic success on multiple fronts.

Guardiola: A close game against a really tough opponent

Man City boss Pep Guardiola on TVI: “Tight game. A really tough opponent, they do it man to man. We realized it was hard to do the process because our free man was the goalkeeper but Kyle and Bernardo’s contribution was so important to help us control the game and play long balls a little better.”

Arteta: We had big situations that we didn’t put aside

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on TVI: “We’re disappointed. We could have gotten a lot more out of the game, but one move decided a really tight and competitive game. Unfortunately, we’re out.

“We had a lot of control in the second half and we had great situations that we didn’t put aside and in those games you have to do that.

“We can take a lot of positives. I think the way we approached the game and the way we competed in the game was really good because it’s very difficult to do that against this amazing team and we have played face to face with them.”

Asked what they need to learn from this game, he replied: “In the big moments of the big games you have to make the difference and that’s how you win against these teams.”

Keane: FA Cup not Arsenal’s priority but defeat will hurt for days to come

Roy Keane on ITV: “It was difficult to rate Arsenal tonight because of the team they have put together. Looking at the starting line-up, you could feel it was not their priority. They want to get that Premier League title.

“But I know the players are going to be down in the next few days because they don’t want to get beaten.

“They’re going to recover and if they keep winning the league they’ll say they had to sacrifice this game, but when you make so many changes, especially defensively, you send the message that you’re not that bothered – that which is not a good message to send.”

And after?

that of Manchester City next game is in the Premier League, with a trip to Tottenham Sunday, February 5, live on sky sports; kick off 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 5, 4:00 p.m.

Kick off 4:30 p.m.

Pep Guardiola’s side then have a week’s break before hosting AstonVilla Sunday, February 12, live on sky sports; kick off 4:30 p.m.

of Arsenal next outing is also in the Premier League, with a trip to Everton Saturday, February 4; kick off 12:30 p.m.

The Gunners take on their London rivals Brentford Saturday, February 11; kick off 3 p.m.