Albert Sambi Lokonga stormed straight down the tunnel after Arsenal lost to Manchester City

By Lee Connor

Arsenal finally succumbed to a defeat last night as they were edged out in the FA Cup by nearest title rivals, Manchester City, at The Etihad.

A goal from Nathan Ake ensured it was Pep Guardiola’s side who got the win. It could well be a psychological boost for City, too, who find themselves well behind in the PL title race as it stands.

Of course, for Arsenal, it might be a small reality check that can do them good. They more than matched City in the main, even with a weakened side from the off.

Mikel Arteta opted to make changes. And one which didn’t quite pay off was the inclusion of Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The £17m signing has struggled since arriving. And he looked lost against City at times, with Martin Odegaard having a big pop at him at one point as well.

And in a clip doing the rounds on Twitter, Lokonga can also be seen heading straight down the tunnel at full-time. If the narrative being shared is right, Lokonga also failed to go to the Arsenal fans to clap or acknowledge them.

At a time when Arsenal seem so close as a club and fanbase, this won’t go down well. Indeed, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lokonga moved out before Tuesday.

TBR’s View: Lokonga clearly not good enough

The young Belgian might have his own reasons for stomping off a bit early and that’s up to him. He might have been frustrated with his performance, and merely reacted wrongly.

However, it is clear he isn’t good enough right now for Arsenal’s first XI. There were times when he was completely off it against City. They made him look ordinary, and Odegaard’s telling off was poignant as well.

Lokonga might be best seeking a loan move to be honest. If he can get one, then he might be able to get some football under his belt and come back better.