Nathan Ake put Manchester City ahead just before the midway point of the second half in an engrossing FA Cup fourth-round clash with Arsenal.Manchester City vs Arsenal highlights and reactions
Mikel Arteta’s side, who are five points clear of City at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand, made six changes to the side that beat Manchester United 3-2 last weekend but Takehiro Tomiyasu and full-debutant Leandro Trossard each drew fine saves from Stefan Ortega in the home goal before halftime.
Kevin De Bruyne curled a sumptuous 25-yard strike just wide but the clearest chance of the opening 45 minutes fell Arsenal’s way when Eddie Nketiah volleyed wide from Trossard’s cross at the near post.
City made them pay for that wastefulness via an unlikely source, with left-sided defender Ake rolling home a right-footed finish from Jack Grealish’s pass after substitute Julian Alvarez drilled against the post.
Man City vs Arsenal final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| MCI | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| ARS | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Goals:
MCI — Nathan Ake (Jack Grealish) — 64th minute
Manchester City vs Arsenal highlights and reactions
City get over the line. That was hard work for Pep Guardiola’s men, who showed the necessary improvement after a pretty listless first half. We’ll all try to extrapolate things we’ve learned tonight in the context of the title race. Arsenal, for their part, were dominant during the first half and pushed City back after going behind. They played with a palpable swagger despite Mikel Arteta making six changes to his starting lineup. City were not at their best but refused to go away and showed an iron will to win, which might be viewed ominously in north London
90th minute+2: Stefan Ortega launches a pass out to the right to Kyle Walker – that’s been a bit of a game-changing ploy from Guardiola, in all honest. The England man darts inside and draws a foul from his old mate Oleksandr Zinchenko, who is booked.
90th minute: Four minutes of stoppage time coming up. If only Arsenal had recent experience of stunning a Manchester team in stoppage time…
89th minute: Manuel Akanji comes charging out to challenge Granit Xhaka successfully. The centre-back urges his colleagues to press out with him. Brave defending.
88th minute: Gabriel Martinelli again! He dances around Kyle Walker effortlessly – give him a shout later, Kylian! Ilkay Gundogan gets a half-block in and Ortega dives on the loose ball like it’s a stray grenade.
87th minute: Granit Xhaka slips through a pass for Gabriel Martinelli. Stefan Ortega is out to snaffle it but City haven’t really worked out what to do with the Brazil winger so far.
85th minute: The next corner is cleared but City are starting to feel a bit like they’re hanging on.
84th minute: Corner to Arsenal. There’s a delay and Kyle Walker and Granit Xhaka exchange a few observations. The corner is headed clear at the near post but Arsenal are on the second ball. Substitute Gabriel Martinelli darts towards goal but the angle is tight and Ortega is able to push behind.
82nd minute: Julian Alvarez lines up another shot from outside the box but this one is straightforward enough for Matt Turner.
78th minute: Jack Grealish loops the delivery just over Aymeric Laporte and Rodri. Julian Alvarez retrieves the loose ball – of course he does – and whips a devilish ball in that Matt Turner is equal to with a fine punch.
77th minute: Granit Xhaka does one of those daft Granit Xhaka fouls we’ve not really seen this season. Bernardo Silva goes sprawling and City have a free-kick in a good position on the right.
76th minute: Not sure how Fabio Vieira’s Brummie is, but Jack Grealish just offered him one or two choice observations.
