After losing to the same team twice, 3-0 on both occasions earlier in the season, and gathering a history of losing to them, another game wasn't at the top of the list of winnable games.
After last weekend's defensive errors that let (hated and rightly so) neighbours Spurs beat us to go to what must be an unassailable lead above us to ensure that they finish the season above us again, and then the amazing turn around against Liverpool to win 2-1 from 1-0 down, it was still not encouraging to be playing Manchester City.
City fresh from their win against UEFA in the fair play trials so their Champions League ban was overturned,.
As expected the early skirmishes were all City. Probing and trying to get their passing game together. Arteta the Arsenal manager formerly the apprentice to Guardiola at City, setting his tactivs to get a foothold in the game, and try and stay tight at the back. Amazingly the centre back pairing of Mustafi and Luiz managed to keep their head and both played very well, supported by Tierney as a third centre back.
Probably against the run of play Pepe turned the defender and his cross to the back post was met by Aubameyang with the outside of his right foot and the ball went in off the post. A superb cross and goal.
Had this been De Bruyne to Aguero or Jesus then we would never hear the end of it and it would be a total wankest for the next few months. As it is, it was only two "lucky" Arsenal players.
City continued to dominate, but the stats showed they has more shots on goal, but fewer on target than Arsenal. Before the goal Auba was through and his shot was too close to the keeper and it was saved.
Into the second half at one point City had 92% of the possession. But it as Arsenal that scored again. Tierney a nice chop over the defence and Auba had the job of heading to the goal and sliding the ball side footed through the advancing keepers legs. 2-0.
So another cup final beckons. The opponents Chelsea after they beat manchester United 3-1 the day after.
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