Arsenal convincingly beat Wigan Athletic on Sunday in the FA Cup round of 32. The Gunners struck four times in the first half hour, after which they could conserve energy for the Premier League title race.
Arsenal thrashed Wigan Athletic 4-0 today to book their place in the FA Cup last 16, producing a ruthless opening spell that effectively decided the tie inside half an hour.
It was the kind of performance that highlighted both the depth of Mikel Arteta’s squad and the cold efficiency Arsenal have been demanding of themselves as they chase honours on multiple fronts.
The afternoon did not start perfectly for the visitors, though. Even before kick-off, Arteta was forced into a late change when Riccardo Calafiori picked up an injury during the warm-up. The disruption led to a quick reshuffle and, crucially, meant Bukayo Saka had to start after all. Rather than operating in his usual wide role from the first minute, the star man began the match in midfield, while Noni Madueke kept his spot on the left flank. The adjustment could have unsettled Arsenal, but instead it seemed to sharpen their focus. From the opening exchanges, they pressed aggressively, moved the ball at pace, and pinned Wigan back in their own half.
The breakthrough arrived in the 11th minute and it set the tone for what followed. Eberechi Eze, operating with freedom between the lines, wriggled away from his direct opponent and instantly picked out Madueke’s run. The through ball was perfectly weighted, splitting the defence and inviting a simple finish. Madueke took the chance calmly, rolling a left-footed effort beyond goalkeeper Sam Tickle to make it 1-0. It was a goal built on timing and precision, and it was also the spark for a storm Wigan simply could not ride out.
From that moment, Arsenal’s attacks came in waves. Their movement off the ball stretched Wigan’s back line, while Eze’s vision and composure ensured the final pass consistently found its target. The second goal followed quickly and again Eze was at the heart of it. The attacking midfielder slipped another incisive ball into the path of Gabriel Martinelli, who finished with the same confidence as the first scorer, guiding a clean left-footed strike into the far corner for 2-0. With Wigan reeling, Arsenal smelled blood. They pressed higher, recovered possession quickly, and kept forcing defenders into rushed decisions.
The third goal summed up the intensity of that spell. Saka, now increasingly influential even from midfield, delivered a dangerous cross after being released down the inside channel by Madueke. Under pressure, Wigan defender Jack Hunt could only divert the ball into his own net, turning the contest into a formality at 3-0. Arsenal were not done. Just minutes later, Christian Nørgaard spotted Gabriel Jesus’ run and played him in. The Brazilian striker showed real quality with his finish, delicately chipping the ball over the helpless Tickle to make it 4-0. In a blink, Arsenal had turned a potentially tricky cup tie into a training-ground exercise.
With the scoreline so emphatic so early, the match inevitably changed after the break. Wigan, the League One side sitting 22nd, were spared an even heavier defeat largely because Arsenal did not maintain the same relentless tempo throughout the second half. The visitors still controlled the game, but they picked their moments to accelerate rather than sustaining a constant assault. That approach made sense with the calendar in mind, and it allowed Arsenal to manage the minutes of key players.
Even so, Arsenal continued to create chances. Viktor Gyökeres, introduced at the start of the second half in place of Saka, came close to adding a fifth when he struck the post. Eze, already with two assists, also had a clear opportunity to cap his performance with a goal of his own, but he failed to convert. Those moments underlined that Arsenal’s attacking threat remained, even when they were operating below full throttle. Wigan, to their credit, kept working and tried to limit the damage, but they never truly looked like finding a route back into the match.
There was also a notable absentee: Jurriën Timber. The Netherlands international was rested and left out of the matchday squad entirely, a decision that again reflected Arsenal’s broader priorities. Rotating at the right moments and keeping players fresh has become a key part of Arteta’s management as Arsenal attempt to balance cup progress with the demands of a title challenge.
With this convincing FA Cup win secured, Arsenal’s attention now switches straight back to the Premier League. There is little time to enjoy a comfortable victory, because another test arrives quickly. On Wednesday evening, the league leaders face an away trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers, a fixture that will demand intensity and focus of a different kind. For Arsenal, this dominant win over Wigan was ideal preparation: a reminder of their attacking power, an opportunity to manage workloads, and a clean, professional step into the FA Cup last 16 without unnecessary drama.
Updated: 09:43, 15 Feb 2026
