ONE-NIL to the champions. Neither of these teams will define the success of their season by the FA Cup, but if the league leaders came away without suffering too many blows from another defeat at the Etihad then City will take every victory they get.
A curled effort from Nathan Ake was enough to separate the teams on a night of low quality when the Premier League champions just about did enough to suggest the pretenders to their crown still have a way to go.
As much as City will hope this night eventually leads to Wembley and more silverware, they will not mind one bit if it cranks up some pressure on an Arsenal team that have soared so far this season.
A night that became business as usual may well be seen on reflection as a significant moment when the guard stopped changing - and potentially an important night in Julian Alvarez's City career.
Mikel Arteta has done a fantastic job but has not been able to stop City's steamrollering of Arsenal - especially at the Etihad. The former Blues assistant had lost his three encounters here by an aggregate score of 9-0, worsening his record further after his sole City match in the dugout ended in a limp Champions League defeat to Lyon.
Arsenal have climbed every mountain so far this season without breaking a sweat, yet their two meetings with the champions are still to be played. Would this extra cup date have any impact? Whether or not it will, the sting was taken out by a weakened Arsenal side that saw several key players on the bench.
City went strong, soaking up even more pressure when the teams were announced as there was even more expectation of a home win.
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