2 standout players from Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City

Arsenal fell to defeat at the Etihad Stadium courtesy of a lone Nathan Ake goal that sent the Citizens into the fifth round of the competition.

Mikel Arteta put forward a rotated side with six changes from Arsenal’s win against Manchester United on Sunday.

Ake’s goal came after City substitute Julian Alvarez hit the post with a long-range effort, just before Jack Grealish claimed the ball and made an acute pass through to the Dutch defender. While it’s never nice exiting a cup competition, Friday night’s game will be viewed in a positive light by many supporters.

2 standout players from Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City

Here are the two standout players from the loss:

Player #1 – Leandro Trossard

On his full debut, Trossard glided through the City defence within the opening stages of the match. While his efforts rarely led to clear-cut chances, his technical ability shone, and he further demonstrated what he can bring to the table.

His first run at Rico Lewis produced a chance for Takehiro Tomiaysu, who is still waiting for his first goal for Arsenal. The Japanese international fired Trossard’s cross at goal and drew a fine save out of Stefan Ortega . It didn’t lead to the opener, but it gave the fans something to get behind with their new signing.

The 28-year-old’s display built on his cameo performance against United last Sunday. It has become apparent in both matches that his two-footedness and ability to weave through tight spaces are key attributes of his game.

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