Ake was the hero on Friday as Man City landed an FA Cup win over Arsenal in a game that saw both sides rotate their teams. Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City landed a potentially crucial psychological blow on Arsenal by knocking the Premier League leaders out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 fourth round win at the Etihad.
– Report: Ake’s goal pushes Man City forward in FA Cup
Nathan Ake’s second-half goal was enough to settle a finely-balanced tie for Pep Guardiola’s team, but while the defeat knocked the Gunners out of the cup, it is the impact the loss will have on their title chase that manager Mikel Arteta will be most concerned about. With City and Arsenal due to meet for the first time in the league at the Emirates on Feb 15, City will go to London knowing that they have already beaten Arteta’s team this season and that could make a significant difference.
JUMP TO: Best/worst performers Key stats