Arsenal Cruise Past Wigan into Fifth Round with 4-0

Arsenal produced a devastating first-half display to sweep aside Wigan Athletic and secure their place in the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2020. Four goals inside the opening 30 minutes—from Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, an own goal, and a sublime Gabriel Jesus finish—ensured a comfortable afternoon at the Emirates Stadium and extended the Gunners' unbeaten run to 14 matches across all competitions .

The victory also maintained Arsenal's remarkable defensive record, securing their 22nd clean sheet of the 2025/26 campaign. It was a performance that manager Mikel Arteta later described as the perfect response to questions about his team's focus following their midweek Champions League exertions .

The win sets up a fifth-round tie against either Macclesfield or Brentford, with the draw scheduled for Monday evening

The tone was set even before kick-off when Riccardo Calafiori pulled out during the warm-up, prompting a tactical reshuffle that saw Bukayo Saka deployed in an unfamiliar midfield role alongside Eberechi Eze . The adjustment paid immediate dividends with Madueke scoring in the 10th minute.

Saka, operating in central areas, threaded a superb ball through the Wigan defence to find the onrushing Madueke. The winger, on loan from Chelsea, maintained his composure to slot past Wigan goalkeeper Sam Tickle for his first Arsenal goal since joining in January .

Martinelli doubles the lead in the 17th minute when William Saliba's incisive pass released Eze in space, and the England international showed exquisite vision to slip Martinelli through on goal. The Brazilian forward slammed home his fourth goal of the FA Cup campaign, leaving Tickle with no chance .

 Arsenal's third goal arrived in the 23rd minute  via a moment of misfortune for Wigan. Madueke found Saka in space down the left, and his driven cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by defender Jack Hunt, who could only divert the ball past his own goalkeeper under pressure .

Jesus adds a touch of class in the 29th minute to make the score complete before the half-hour mark.  

 Christian Nørgaard delivered an inch-perfect long ball over the top for Jesus. The Brazilian forward controlled expertly before dinking a delicate finish over the advancing Tickle—his 20th goal or assist against lower-league opposition in 20 career appearances .

The four-goal blitz made Arsenal the first Premier League side in history to score four times in the opening 30 minutes of an FA Cup tie 

With the tie effectively decided, the second half became an exercise in game management and an opportunity to brood young talent. Wigan, to their credit, refused to give up and created several promising moments. Striker Joe Taylor forced a sharp save from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, while Raphel Rodrigues tested the Spanish shot-stopper with a fierce low drive .

Arsenal introduced Viktor Gyökeres for Saka at half-time, and the Swedish striker almost marked his appearance with a goal, seeing a deflected effort strike the woodwork. Eze, eager to add his name to the scoresheet, went close twice, first from a free-kick that struck Jesus and then with a mazy run that ended with a shot into the side-netting .

The most significant moments of the half, however, were reserved for two homegrown talents. Marli Salmon, the 16-year-old forward, was introduced for his home debut, replacing William Saliba. Salmon, who had previously featured against Club Brugge in the Champions League and Portsmouth in the third round, became the latest academy product to graduate to the first team under Arteta . In the closing stages, goalkeeper Tommy Setford also made his home debut, replacing Kepa and earning a rousing reception from the home fans when he confidently claimed a late free-kick .

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal manager) expressed satisfaction with his side's focus and ruthlessness.

We wanted to show how much we care about this competition, and I think the first 30 minutes demonstrated that, Arteta told ITV Sport . The attitude, the energy, the quality—it was all there. To score four against any team at this level shows the mentality in the dressing room.

He reserved special praise for the young debutants: Marli and Tommy have been training with us, they deserve their moments. The crowd gave them a beautiful reception, and that's what this club is about.

Ryan Lowe (Wigan manager) , whose League One side sits seventh in the table, was realistic about the gulf in class.

We knew it would be tough, but we didn't expect to be 4-0 down after 30 minutes, Lowe admitted Arsenal were clinical—every chance they had, they took. We showed a bit more character in the second half, but the damage was done. We'll learn from this and focus on the league now

Eberechi ,the England international was at the heart of everything positive in Arsenal's attack. His vision and passing created two of the first-half goals, and his movement caused constant problems for the Wigan defence .

Marli Salmon, at 16 years and 87 days, Salmon became one of the youngest players to appear for Arsenal in the FA Cup. His introduction for the final 30 minutes was greeted with a standing ovation, and he showed flashes of the composure that has impressed coaches at academy level .

The Clean Sheet Streak: Arsenal's 22nd clean sheet of the season underlines their defensive solidity. With Kepa Arrizabalaga proving a reliable presence since his loan move, and the central defensive partnership of Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera flourishing, the Gunners boast the best defensive record in the Premier League .

For Arsenal, progression to the fifth round keeps alive hopes of ending a trophy drought that stretches back to the 2020 FA Cup. More immediately, it maintains momentum ahead of a crucial Premier League run that includes a north London derby at Tottenham next weekend. Arteta's decision to field a strong side—with only minor rotation—underscores the importance he places on cup competition .

For Wigan, the defeat brings an end to Wigan's FA Cup journey, but Lowe's side can take encouragement from their competitive second-half display. The focus now returns to their League One promotion push, where they sit seventh, four points off the automatic promotion places with a game in hand .

Arsenal will discover their fifth-round opponents when the FA Cup draw takes place on Monday evening. With the Premier League title race intensifying and a Champions League campaign to navigate, Arteta's squad depth will face its sternest tests in the weeks ahead. The emergence of talents like Salmon, however, provides encouraging evidence that the club's academy production line continues to deliver.