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Three Takeaways: Manchester City fall in FA Cup semi-final

By J.C. Gonzalez

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 18: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City reacts following a missed chance during the FA Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on July 18, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 18: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City reacts following a missed chance during the FA Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on July 18, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Justin Tallis/Pool via Getty Images) /
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In a hugely disappointing day, Manchester City failed in one of their two big tasks left to salvage the season as they lost to Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup semi-final.

For the first time since they lost to Wigan Athletic in February 2018, Manchester City have lost in the FA Cup. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were simply fantastic as they clinically punished a complacent City team, who will now only have the Champions League to focus upon.

City have now lost their only match in the new kit, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace to keep Arsenal’s chances of qualifying for European football alive for next season.

1. Apprentice defeats the master

Mikel Arteta, having served as Manchester City’s assistant under Pep Guardiola until midway through this season, seemed to have developed the perfect way to take his former club out of rhythm.

City never looked quite right, while Arteta’s Gunners have now beaten Liverpool and City in the space of just a few days in what is looking to be a remarkable turnaround for Arsenal. They knew City would dominate the ball, but exposed a complacent side on the break and allowed their best player to shine through and win the day.

2. All or nothing

The story of Manchester City’s season reared its ugly head once again; unlike the sides of the previous two seasons, who could muster up a win in spite of not playing well, this team has lost nearly every match in which they haven’t played perfectly.

It seems City are England’s most bipolar side, either winning by gigantic scorelines or falling to defeat, with nothing in between. City must find more consistency moving forward if they have any hope of winning the Champions League this season.

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3. The season sours again

In what has been a roller coaster ride for Manchester City, the hope of still finding a way to claim three trophies has always been the light at the end of the tunnel. City are expected by both their supporters and rival fans to win every competition they enter, and while this is not a realistic target, they had been on a run of winning eight out of the last 10 available domestic trophies.

Today’s defeat will inevitably sting, and now City have put everything into their Champions League stock, as they hope to emerge from Lisbon with the most important trophy of all.