The importance of Ake
"Right now, without Nathan we cannot play good," Pep Guardiola said of Nathan Ake last week, before promptly dropping him three days later.
Manchester City players are probably used to that from their manager by now but the decision to take Ake out of the side against Wolves was more about rest and rotation than any bigger message. He is clearly a highly-prized asset in this team at the moment.
Guardiola is juggling a side with more out-of-form players than he would like at the moment and one of his other consistent defenders, John Stones, might now face a spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury.
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But Ake remains a reliable performer. Since the World Cup he's been fielded at left-back against Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min and Bukayo Saka and he's performed admirably against all three.
He kept Saka very quiet in this FA Cup game and then proved decisive at the other end of the pitch. His right-footed finish to give City the lead in the second half was calmy and expertly put away. At the start of a demanding run for the Blues, it's pretty clear Ake will be a regular in the side.
First strike City?
It had felt like there was more on the line in this game than just a spot in FA Cup fifth round. This was the first of three games between this season's title rivals in as many months and the first of two in just two-and-a-half weeks.
For a while it felt like another would be squeezed in to accelerate the narrative act. Until Ake scored it hadn't really looked like a goal was coming for either side.
But the replay was avoided and this will go down as first blood to City, but it might not have as big an impact on the future as expected. The decision of Mikel Arteta not to start with some key players made it more important for Guardiola's side to win, which they did.
It wasn't the kind of victory that will do too much damage to morale at the Emirates, however. Arteta can point to those changes and the fact his side were well in the contest throughout.
Guardiola will hope it can at least sow a seed of doubt into a group of players who aren't used to being in this position. On February 15 we might find out if that has been the case.
Man-to-man problems
For most of Guardiola's time at City it has felt like there was little in the way of a consistent plan to beat them. Soak up some pressure and hit them on the break was about the best of an unappealing list of options.
But this season we are starting to see a pattern of the Blues being stopped by teams taking up an aggressive man-to-man approach, particularly in midfield. It is thwarting City's build-up play and creativity quite considerably at the moment.
We saw Manchester United do it at the derby two weeks ago and while Jack Grealish did score that day to end a good spell of City pressure, they didn't create many chances aside from that.
Arsenal copied that approach at the Etihad last night. When City's centre-backs had the ball the opposition would man mark Rico Lewis, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne. So often there was just no out ball to continue the build-up and the only remaining option was to go long to Erling Haaland.
That did occasionally cause Arsenal - and Rob Holding - problems, but it was a sporadic threat and exactly what Arteta's side would have wanted. It was easier to defend against than a free-flowing City at their best.
Alvarez impact
It would be overstating to suggest that the introduction of Julian Alvarez changed this game for City, but he did at least liven them up and that was a start.
It was Alvarez's long-range shot pinging a post that led to the goal and his energy did seem to give his teammates a lift. It was an area they had been lacking in until then, with midfielders marked out of the game and Haaland getting little joy from long balls.
After winning the World Cup it's probably the case that Alvarez expects a bigger role than being an impact sub, but at the moment he is making his case for City every time he plays, whether from the start or off the bench, and he can't do any more than that.
Atmosphere
This cup tie came eight days after Guardiola's dramatic press conference after the win against Tottenham when one of his issues was with the atmosphere at the Etihad and the sense City's fans were becoming complacent as well.
It was an interesting time to raise the issue, at the start of three homes in just over a week, the last of which required even season ticket holders to dig into their pockets for an FA Cup fixture. The level of the opposition made it an easier sell and it was a full house.
It felt like a big night for the atmosphere and it was certainly lively at times, although City's slow start didn't help proceedings. Arsenal's increased away following due to cup rules meant they made plenty of noise and barely 20 seconds had been played when the first chant of 'we are top of the league' began.
City did respond with a reminder of who the champions actually are and it continued to sizzle throughout the game. 'Champions of England, we know what we are' was roared out after Ake's goal and the atmosphere finished as lively as it had been throughout.
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