Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has suggested that his team defeated Arsenal 1-0 in Friday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie because his players played better in the second half of the encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
According to Guardiola, Man City “had to contact more than usual with Erling Haaland” as Nathan Ake’s 64th-minute goal saw the Premier League champions through to the next round of the FA Cup.
The Spaniard also admitted the tactics employed by his former assistant, Mikel Arteta surprised him as Arsenal’s man-to-man marking interrupted Man City’s flow.
“It was a tight game, a difficult opponent,” Guardiola said after the match.
“The second half was better apart from ten minutes after the goal.
“I did not expect this approach, the man-to-man. It made the process difficult. In the second half, we had to contact more than usual with Erling, it’s what we had to do.
“But it’s a victory, the next round, we will see what we’ve to do.”