A goal deep into stoppage time sealed it. Southampton, second tier but full of grit, sent Arsenal tumbling in the FA Cup quarters. The hosts wore down the league leaders piece by piece before striking past them when most expected a draw. One moment changed everything; Arsenal left empty-handed again, days after missing silverware in another final. Seventh place on paper meant nothing once boots met ball under lights at St Mary’s.
Out of nowhere, Manchester City crushed Liverpool 4–0 under the lights at Etihad. While Arsenal stumbled elsewhere, Haaland lit up the pitch with three sharp strikes. His boots wrote the story, dragging City into the next round. A cold display hinted they’re set on claiming both home trophies by May.
Arsenal stunned as FA cup hopes crumble
A loss like this shakes any dream of a four-trophy season. Putting out a less experienced team did not work out, as Arteta soon found when Southampton made their moves count. The first goal came from Ross Stewart near halftime, tilting the match early. A nervous energy settled in once that went in.
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Out of nowhere, Arsenal pushed forward after halftime. Viktor Gyokeres, just back from national team games, stepped onto the pitch and scored in the 68th minute. Still, Southampton kept threatening when they broke fast. Then, in the 85th minute, Shea Charles found space and fired home what became the winner. Now Arsenal's hopes rest solely on the Premier League and Champions League campaigns.
Falling short got worse when Gabriel Magalhaes limped out, clutching his knee just before a high-stakes match abroad. Tough times hit early, Arteta said, the first true test this year, even though they’re still miles ahead at the top.
Haaland masterclass sinks Liverpool in the FA Cup
That night, Manchester City showed just how strong they are, thanks to Erling Haaland tearing through Liverpool in less than twenty minutes. Out of nowhere, the ball found him on the spot, one goal done. Then came a leap, a thud, the net rippling again, a header struck hard, impossible to stop. A finish off the crossbar on its way in, calm like it was meant to be. All three sealed long before most fans had settled into their seats.
Finding the net was Antoine Semenyo, then came a twist: Mohamed Salah's penalty was stopped in its tracks by James Trafford. That loss sharpened the heat around Arne Slot, Liverpool’s manager, after which Dominik Szoboszlai spoke plainly, effort faded early, and mindset never matched the moment.
Fresh off another triumph, the team logged its eighteenth home success in a row within the FA Cup, booking yet another semifinal spot, now eight seasons on the spin. Elsewhere, Chelsea powered past Port Vale by seven goals to nil, a result that laid bare just how far apart these teams stand.
