Arsenal delivered an impressive performance, defeating Wigan Athletic 4-0 in the FA Cup match at the Emirates Stadium. This victory marked our first advancement to the fifth round since 2020.
Noni Madueke opened the scoring early, followed by Gabriel Martinelli, who quickly made it two. An own goal from Jack Hunt added to Wigan’s woes, and Gabriel Jesus finished the first half strong with a poised finish. By the 30-minute mark, we were comfortably ahead.
In an exciting twist, 16-year-old Marli Salmon made his debut, stepping in for William Saliba, helping us maintain our clean sheet—our 22nd of the season.
After some last-minute adjustments due to Riccardo Calafiori’s warm-up injury, Bukayo Saka was moved into a midfield role alongside Eberechi Eze. Saka’s fantastic pass set up Madueke’s first goal just 10 minutes in. Eze continued to shine, assisting Martinelli just seven minutes later to push our lead to two.
The rain poured, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We hit three goals before the 23-minute mark when Madueke found Saka, who set off an unfortunate own goal by Hunt. Gabriel Jesus capped off a thrilling first half with a brilliant finish for our fourth goal.
Despite our dominance, Wigan had a near miss when Joe Taylor broke through our defense. However, Kepa Arrizabalaga made a crucial save, keeping our clean sheet secure.
The second half saw some changes, with Viktor Gyokeres coming in for Saka. He nearly scored right away, testing the woodwork. Eze had two more scoring chances, but we remained at four goals.
As the match progressed, we introduced more young talent. After his debut, Marli Salmon showcased his skills, and Tommy Setford also joined late in the game, earning cheers from the fans.
Looking ahead, our next challenge is against Wolverhampton on February 18, followed by a big match against Tottenham on February 22. The draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup will occur on February 16, just before the Macclesfield versus Brentford match.
This great start in the FA Cup adds to our momentum. Recent statistics highlight that teams with a strong start often progress further in knockout competitions. With talented players like Eze and Madueke shining, we’re excited for what lies ahead.
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