Manchester Metropolis drew first blood of their season-long battle with Arsenal after profitable a tense FA Cup showdown between the Premier League title rivals.Nathan Ake’s professional second-half end settled a heavyweight Friday night time tie underneath the lights on the Etihad Stadium and booked Metropolis’s place within the fifth spherical, additionally dealing a psychological blow to the Gunners – who suffered solely their fourth defeat of the season – forward of a pivotal first top-flight assembly between the golf equipment in north London on February 15.Metropolis – displaying simply two modifications from their win over Wolves as Arsenal swapped six – had extra possession within the first half however appeared off the tempo other than a Kevin De Bruyne roller that whistled narrowly past the far submit, with Erling Haaland being shackled by the bodily Rob Holding, who needed to be withdrawn at half-time and changed by William Saliba after being cautioned in his working battle with the Norwegian purpose machine.Thomas Partey additionally took a knock to the ribs and made means for Albert Sambi Lokonga earlier than the second interval obtained underway.The perfect possibilities of the opening 45 minutes unquestionably fell to Arsenal, with Leandro Trossard thriving on his full debut and he and Takehiro Tomiyasu each forcing sturdy saves from Ederson’s understudy Stefan Ortega, with Eddie Nketiah additionally steering a Trossard cross huge of the entrance submit.Learn MoreCity took management after the interval, with Arsenal’s second-choice goalkeeper Matt Turner twice referred to as into motion to repel harmful De Bruyne crosses, hurting his shoulder within the course of. Younger right-back Rico Lewis additionally drove into the facet netting.The impasse was damaged 25 minutes from time, when Ake expertly handed an effort past Saliba and Turner and into the again of the web after Jack Grealish had doggedly stored the assault alive after substitute Julian Alvarez had smashed the submit with an effort from exterior the field.Arsenal had an important probability to right away equalise, however Nketiah was denied a close-range end by some professional Aymeric Laporte defending. The Spaniard was summoned earlier than half-time after England’s John Stones suffered one other hamstring harm.Arteta referred to as for Gabriel Martinelli, captain Martin Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko in a rescue effort, with the Brazilian inflicting all types of points within the dying minutes along with his tempo and trickery.Nonetheless, they huffed and puffed however couldn’t discover the purpose to drive a replay as consideration rapidly turns again to that enthralling title race.Extra follows