Arsenal breezed into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
The Gunners were 2-0 up inside 19 minutes thanks to strikes from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, and following an own goal from Jack Hunt, Gabriel Jesus completed a first-half demolition of the League One strugglers.
The second half was a far quieter affair. Arsenal pushed for more goals, but Wigan were far more up to the task defensively. Of course, the damage was already well and truly done by then, with Mikel Arteta’s side reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since they won the competition back in 2020.
Arsenal 4-0 Wigan key stats:
- Possession: 73%-27%
- Shots (on target): 17 (6)-(2) 2
- Big chances: 4-1
- Corners: 5-0
Eze silences critics with creative masterclass
Eberechi Eze’s performance against Brentford during the week was emblematic of Arsenal’s dreadful overall showing at the Gtech Community Stadium.
The England international touched the ball just 17 times in 45 minutes, only completing nine passes and no dribbles, while failing to manage a single shot or chance created.
Granted, it was against struggling League One opposition, but Eze wasted no time in putting that right and reminding everyone of his quality here.
It was Eze’s creative masterclass that set the stage for Arsenal to sweep Wigan aside in the opening 19 minutes, first playing a killer through-ball to Madueke for the opener, then taking one touch on the turn and once again splitting the Latics backline to set Martinelli free for the second.
On another day, Eze could’ve had a goal or two of his own, but he was ultimately thwarted by some desperate Wigan defending and capable Sam Tickle goalkeeping.
However, throughout the match, his passing terrorised the visitors’ defence, while his movement pulled Wigan out of shape constantly.
Eze ended the match with 46 passes completed from 50 attempts, 10 passes into the final third, and two assists from two chances beautifully created, while he won five of his 11 ground duels. He also made three tackles and three recoveries, showing excellent commitment to keeping Wigan on the floor, despite the commanding lead he orchestrated in the early stages.
If Arsenal are to create history in the final third of this campaign, they’re going to need Eze in this sort of form throughout.
Arsenal’s quadruple hopes build
Between Liverpool and Manchester City, it feels like we’ve been overdue for a historic quadruple in English football for some time now, but on this occasion, it’s Arsenal in the driving seat to do something never achieved before.
The Gunners are four points clear at the top of the table as they seek to end their near-22-year wait for a Premier League title, while they await the other side chasing the quadruple, Man City, in the EFL Cup final.
Both sides are going strong in the Champions League, reaching the last 16 and waiting to find out their opponents, while City made it past a stubborn Salford side 2-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday.
But it’s Arsenal who hold all the cards, and a performance like this will only serve to underline their credentials.
Winning the quadruple may still feel like a pipe dream to even the most optimistic of Arsenal fans, especially considering how quickly it has fallen apart for Man City and Liverpool in their recent attempts. But right now, they’re showing no signs of relenting as they utterly dismantled Wigan Athletic here.
What next for Arsenal?
This was the perfect way for Arsenal to recover from their disappointing 1-1 draw at Brentford on Thursday, but Mikel Arteta will not be taking anything for granted — especially given the lack of quality shown by Wigan.
The Gunners will continue their Premier League away triple-header at Wolves on Wednesday, quickly followed up by a North London derby at Spurs on Sunday.