AFP
NOS Football•
Nathan Aké has given Manchester City a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup at the expense of Arsenal. The defender scored the only goal of the game: 1-0. He didn’t do that with a firm header or a bang with his favorite left leg, but with a watched ball with the right.
The fourth round of the FA Cup opened with the cracker between the Premier League leaders and the runners-up. In the league, the two top teams had not yet met each other this season. The game is scheduled for February 15 in London and on April 26 in Manchester.
The spectators at the Etihad Stadium therefore sat down for it. Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta seemed to send a signal with several changes to the line-up that the competition is just that little bit more important. This is how Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Oleksandr Zinchenko started on the bench.
EPA
Still, Arsenal had the better of the game in the first half. German City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega turned shots from Takehiro Tomiyasu and Leandro Trossard. City came out better in the second half.
Hit the post of Álvarez
Pep Guardiola had posted Aké at left back. Erling Haaland was in the center of the front and the Norwegian had evil plans. He was unable to score like Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a bicycle kick from far outside the penalty area. Moreover, he had a tough opponent in Rob Holding. He couldn’t score at all.
That was only reserved for Ake. Substitute Julián Álvarez, the Argentine world champion, hit the post, after which Jack Grealish saw Aké standing free after a successful dribble. The Dutch international neatly placed the ball past keeper Ortega in the far corner. The visitors didn’t get any great chances after that.
For example, Aké became the match winner and six-time cup winner Manchester City continued. Arsenal remain favorites for the league title, but the double is no longer in the cards for the record holder with fourteen FA Cups in the trophy cabinet.
