LONDON – There is probably still some way to go before Premier League leaders Arsenal can dominate English football. Learning to be consistently ruthless is key to that, according to their manager Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners boss was unhappy when his side were not clinical against Manchester City on Friday, as Nathan Ake’s goal earned Pep Guardiola’s men a 1-0 win in the FA Cup fourth round.

The two teams will meet twice more in the next three months in the Premier League, with the title on the line.

Arsenal lead City by five points at the top of the table and have a game in hand. Arteta believes the Gunners have to put the champions to the sword when they have the chance.

“Really disappointed. I think we could have got much more out of the game,” said the Spaniard, whose side had a £60 million (S$97.6 million) bid for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo turned down on Friday as they seek reinforcements.

“We have taken the chances in the big matches this season, that’s why we have beaten a lot of the big teams. Unfortunately, today we didn’t.

“We had big situations in the game and we didn’t put them away. In the big moments, in big matches, you have to make the difference. That is how you win these games.”

The Arsenal boss showed that a first league title in 19 years is his priority by making six changes, with Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli among those left on the bench at the Etihad.

But the visitors still had chances early on as Takehiro Tomiyasu and Leandro Trossard, on his full debut, forced Stefan Ortega into flying saves.

City were also far from their free-flowing best with Erling Haaland often manhandled by Rob Holding before the break.

The Norwegian striker saw an ambitious overhead kick from long range cleared by Tomiyasu with Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner stranded, before Kevin de Bruyne curled City’s best effort of the first half inches wide.

Guardiola had made just one outfield change from City’s 3-0 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, it was one of his substitutes, Julian Alvarez, that brought a lacklustre second half to life 26 minutes from time.

The Argentinian’s long-range effort cannoned back off the post and from the rebound, Jack Grealish’s pass picked out Ake, who curled into the far corner.

Arteta responded by throwing on Martinelli, Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

But Arsenal failed to create another chance to equalise as City laid down a marker on the challengers to their crown as the dominant force in English football.

The sides meet again at the Emirates on Feb 15 before a rematch at the Etihad on April 26.

“A tight game against a really difficult opponent and we won it,” said Guardiola. “(My players) are incredibly happy.

“It’s not the Premier League, it’s another competition. And it will be a completely different day in Emirates. Mikel doesn’t rotate much in the Premier League.

“We take it game by game. FA Cup is an important competition, and we are so satisfied, but this (result) will be forgotten by them when we are there (for the Emirates clash).”

Guardiola also reserved special praise for match-winner Ake, not so much for his goal but his defensive qualities.

“There is not one person in the locker room that is not very happy for him (Ake),” he said.

“We are happy for the goal and how he controlled one of the most dangerous players in the Premier League now in (Bukayo) Saka.

“As a manager, you want players like Nathan. He deserves all the good things in life.” AFP, REUTERS