Arsenal fans were not happy about the loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup, but one particular player stood out for his shoddy performance on the pitch. It was Sambi Lokonga who came on for Thomas Partey that caught the ire of the fans.
The central midfielder struggled to cope through much of the game, looked sluggish at times, and could have done better to stop Nathan Ake’s goal. The 23-year-old notably found it difficult getting his positioning correct, and fans noticed that captain Martin Odegaard was quick to caution him in that regard.
Fans took to Twitter to slam his poor showing against the Cityzens. Here is a selection of their tweets:
Lokonga has made just six Premier League appearances, four as a substitute, and his display against Manchester City will have done little to convince Mikel Arteta to play him more often. With 15 appearances under his belt for Arsenal this season, the 23-year-old will look to improve upon his performances, especially his positioning in future games.
Arsenal are rather thin in midfield following an injury to Mohamed Elneny. With Lokonga’s poor showing, it is little surprise that they are currently in the transfer market in search of reinforcements.
Arsenal lose FA Cup clash to Manchester City
The Gunners‘ early exit from the FA Cup in 2023 was a major letdown for both fans and players as they lost to their Premier League rivals City.
During the first half of the match, both teams displayed impressive defensive play, making it difficult for either side to score. This was evident from the lack of corners during this period, which showed how tightly controlled the game was. Although the Gunners were marginally the stronger team, they were unable to make the most of their chances and establish a lead.
At the break, Arsenal opted to introduce William Saliba and Sambi Lokonga in a bid to swing the match in their favor. However, Manchester City soon began to take control of the game, dominating possession and creating more chances in the attacking third. This was further amplified by their opponents’ double substitution of Julian Alvarez and Kyle Walker, which ultimately proved to be a defining moment in the match.
Arsenal’s defense was under immense pressure, with Alvarez coming close to finding the back of the net before Nathan Ake scored the goal for Manchester City in the 64th minute. In response, the Gunners made a number of changes, introducing Gabriel Martinelli, Oleksandr Zinchenko and captain Odegaard. Unfortunately, they were unable to find the necessary cohesion and rhythm to score the goal that would have kept them in the tournament.