Manchester City through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

 Manchester United are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The FA Cup always delivers tasty morsels of nutritious goodness and when the top two teams in the Premier League arrive in town there is something uniquely delicious and mouth watering to behold. You'd have been forgiven for thinking that this fourth round FA Cup tie was merely an aperitif  before the delectable main meal of the evening. But this was a proper, meaty, gristly and sinewy FA Cup spectacle, one to warm the cockles of any heart.

Arsenal, who appear to have established a firm foothold on the Premier League title race, were bundled out of this year's Cup unceremoniously. It certainly wasn't for the lack of trying and for a while the North London table toppers seemed to be tripping the light fantastic through the City defence with grace and fleet footed dexterity. At the moment Arsenal look ready and primed to launch a sustained assault on the Premier League title, five points ahead of their immediate challengers Manchester City and ready to go again every time questions are asked about their stamina and endurance.

But last night although once again controlled in possession for much of the game, Arsenal were lacking in one or two ingredients, off the pace ever so slightly but nonetheless still overawed by their opponents quality and stature. For City, make no mistake, were full value for their victory over Arsenal and this could well represent the pivotal turning point in the season for them. There is still something inherently stylish and aesthetically pleasing to the eye about City's football that does make you believe that they're still more than capable of winning what would be a hat-trick of Premier League titles. But that's for the future.

It was though Friday night football for these two footballing powerhouses and for those who look at these things from a sober perspective, this was not quite the decisive battle that determines who wins the Premier League. Realistically, Arsenal will keep going with their exceptional, quick passing movements and delicate impulses. This Arsenal look as though they mean business and you'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall of Arsene Wenger's living room. How Wenger would have been overjoyed at the smooth tika taka, one touch football that has so illuminated Arsenal's football this season.

But last night somebody appeared to have switched off the machine for the red shirts of Arsenal. It was clearly malfunctioning and the wheels were in desperate need of oiling. The tightly knit clusters of passes were still there,  close huddles of players on the same compatible wavelength, circling each other around the pitch, interchanging sweetly in close proximity. This was passing of the highest intelligence and the kind of football that the Gunners have revelled in since last August. Then there were the broken lines in City's defence that saw Arsenal flooding into space, players dashing forward at breakneck speed and witha lethal incisiveness.

City though came out for the second half of this Cup tie, flaunting their peacock feathers, the ball moving delightfully between light blue shirts as if swept along by the gentlest of breezes. When City's bright new Academy defender Rico Lewis and John Stones ventured forward into the Arsenal half there were visible signs of anxiety and panic in the Gunners ranks. Then there was the ever graceful Aymeric Laporte aided and abetted superbly by the precise promptings of Rodri, the always accomplished Riyad Mahrez  while Kevin De Bruyne has lost none of his powers of improvisation and that very thoughtful approach to any game.

After a slow and sluggish start City were a joyous attacking force to be reckoned with, matching everything Arsenal had to offer with identical footprints. In fact this was rather like watching a mirror, such were the reflections of the two teams when both had the same ideas as each other. Although the first half had been deeply disappointing now City threw their inhibitions away with the carefree and cavalier football that would now become their template for the rest of the match. 

Once again Jack Grealish was so influential and brilliantly effective for City that you wondered what might have happened had Gareth Southgate had the courage of his own convictions and played him even more frequently than he did in Qatar. Still, Grealish was once again in a class of his own, those thick, muscular legs dribbling past Arsenal players, cutting back on to either feet, then driving through a red wall of players rather like a combine harvester on farmland.

For fleeting moments you were reminded of Paul Gascoigne but then thought Grealish would probably have thought about twice about burning the midnight oil in sleazy nightclubs. Besides, perhaps Grealish detests kebabs and excessive amounts of alcohol. But we'll always adore him for all his faults and foibles. Grealish is a genuine ball player, manipulating the ball tenderly, running at defenders purposefully before drawing a whole succession of fouls and free kicks. This is Grealish at his most sublime and effortless. None can ever take that part of his game away from him.

Suddenly the defensive shield that Rob Holding, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko formerly of the City parish were holding, had lost its gleaming lustre. Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Vieira, a familiar name among Arsenal fans were no longer silk or steel in Arsenal's midfield and even Partey looked as if  he wasn't really enjoying this particular contest. Xhaka was still spiky, fesity and combative in the central midfield areas but both Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, the English pillars of strength and vitality were not quite up to the elevated standards they may have inadvertently set from the start of the Premier League season.

And then it happened. After a brief session of sparring and stretching with the Arsenal defence, City snatched the ball back, maintained possession almost with almost mesmeric insistence. Suddenly a fierce shot from outside the Arsenal penalty area from City rocked back the visitors onto their heels and the ball fell conveniently to Grealish. A slick sequence of touches from City ended up with Grealish. Grealish, with a lovely balance, spun bewilderingly, turned sharply before laying the ball back to the onrushing Nathan Ake and the Dutch defender steered the ball low into the Arsenal net with amazing precision, the ball touching the post on its way in. Arsenal must have had  more important priorities on their mind.

So it was that Manchester City march forward into the fifth round of the FA Cup, convinced that the Double could be far more of a viable proposition than some would have you believe. The hat-trick of the Premier League titles maybe a seductive possibility and for now we will wish them well on their way. Arsenal, for their part, are now revisiting the golden years of Arsene Wenger not quite the Invincibles, but still imagining what could be rather than what might have been. The Gunners of course are firing on all cylinders and are  full steam ahead. Football has never had it so good.