The first leg between City and Los Blancos was closely contested, and it ultimately required a penalty shootout, won by the Spaniards, to decide the outcome. Despite domination by Pep Guardiola’s side, the win went to the Spaniards. Following a weekend loss to Aston Villa, Arsenal is now only eyeing the Premier League title for potential silverware, while City is still in the running for a historic fourth consecutive top-flight win. City currently holds the advantage in the title race, with a perceived easier run-in compared to their rivals.

Meanwhile, Arsenal has some challenging fixtures ahead and both teams must quickly recover from their setbacks in the Champions League. This coming weekend, the two teams will be playing in different competitions. Arsenal has won only one FA Cup since the arrival of the Spaniard and is facing pressure to demonstrate their talent with tangible success. Managerial support has been emphasized, with a call to rally behind the team ahead of their upcoming game.

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