City secures victory over Arsenal in FA Cup 4th round match: Nathan Ake’s goal seals the deal

Manchester City secured their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.

Nathan Ake‘s well-placed strike shortly after the hour mark sealed the win for the Blues and kept alive Pep Guardiola’s hopes of lifting the prestigious cup competition for a second time. Both teams had opportunities to secure the victory, but it was Ake’s finish that proved to be the decisive factor. The draw for the last 16 will take place on Monday evening.

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The match began with an early save from Stefan Ortega Moreno, who palmed away Takehiro Tomiyasu’s strike from the edge of the box. City’s first chance came from an extravagant overhead kick from Erling Haaland, who, after being beaten to a through ball by the goalkeeper, reacted quickly to send the clearance goalwards from 30 yards. Despite the efforts of both teams, it was Ake’s goal that secured the win for City.

The match was also a tactical battle between two of the best managers in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta. Guardiola had his team targeting the space behind the Arsenal defense with calculated long passes for Haaland to latch on to, while Arteta’s side looked to soak up the pressure and spark their own counterattacks.

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The win means that City have qualified for the fifth round of the FA Cup for the eighth consecutive season and eliminated one of the favorites for the competition in the process. The draw for the next round will be live on BBC One at 7:00 PM (UK) or 9:00 PM (CAT) on Monday, January 30th.