Cup football under the lights at the Emirates is always a special occasion. We welcomed League One side Wigan Athletic with the intent of getting the job done early, and the boys absolutely delivered.
A First-Half Blitz
We were out of the blocks with devastating speed, and the man pulling the strings was Eberechi Eze, dropping deep to get on the ball. Two sublime passes from him produced the first two goals: Noni Madueke on 11 minutes, Gabriel Martinelli on 18.
The pressure was relentless. Bukayo Saka's pull-back on 23 was turned into his own net by Wigan's Jack Hunt, and Gabriel Jesus made it four on 27 from Christian Norgaard's pass. Four goals in 17 minutes, the tie over before the half hour.
Professional Management
Arteta had made eight changes from the draw at Brentford, and the second half was an exercise in game management with Kepa Arrizabalaga behind a back line that was rarely troubled. Viktor Gyökeres came on for Saka at the interval, minutes saved where it mattered.
A professional job well done, and we march on to the fifth round with all four competitions still alive.
Man of the Match: Gabriel Martinelli 🇧🇷
Electric from the start, grabbing a goal and terrifying the Wigan defense.