Arsenal secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over League One side Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup fourth round at the Emirates Stadium, with all four goals coming inside the first 27 minutes. Mikel Arteta's much-changed side made short work of the manager-less visitors, who stemmed the flow after the early onslaught.
Arteta spoke to TNT Sports after the match, saying: 'We made a lot of changes and some players needed some minutes. We started the game very, very well. We had some great actions collectively and individually. The first half made the difference.' He added that the game provided valuable experience for younger players, stating: 'These are the games they can gain experience. It is what we need.'
Noni Madueke, who scored and impressed, told TNT: 'We were very professional. We had the right intent and yeah, four goals and a clean sheet. Like you said, [lower league opposition] can be tricky sometimes if you don't apply yourself properly, but that wasn't the case with us today.' He praised Eberechi Eze, adding: 'Eze was unbelievable today. Pulled all the strings from the middle. I think he had a hand in all the goals.'
Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle produced several fine saves to prevent the scoreline from growing, particularly in the second half as Arsenal continued to press. Tickle, who has been linked with a move away, impressed with saves from Martinelli and Trossard. The visitors also showed defensive resilience after the initial setback, earning praise for their organisation.
Arsenal made a late substitution, bringing on Dutch reserve goalkeeper Tommy Setford for Kepa Arrizabalaga, in a sign of the game's comfort. Wigan, meanwhile, introduced teenager Harrison Bettoni and former FA Cup final hero Callum McManaman. The match also saw bookings for Lewis-Skelly and Norgaard, while Wigan's Aimson was cautioned for a robust challenge on Gyokeres.
With the win, Arsenal progress to the fifth round, while Wigan return to League One action. Arteta's side will take confidence from a dominant performance that showcased the depth of the squad, despite key injuries. The result also extended Arsenal's positive run in the competition.
