Eze’s Return to Form Lights Up the Emirates
Eberechi Eze delivered a standout performance to guide Arsenal to a convincing victory over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup. The England midfielder, who has endured a challenging period since his hat-trick in the north London derby in November, provided assists for Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli while showing his trademark swagger for the first time in months.
The match came at a perfect time for Eze after he was substituted at half-time in the disappointing draw against Brentford. With doubts surrounding Martin Ødegaard’s availability against Wolves on Wednesday following a knock, and Kai Havertz sidelined for at least four matches with a muscle injury, Eze’s timely return to form offers Arsenal crucial options in attacking midfield.
Mikel Arteta praised Eze’s contribution, stating that the team needs players like him to provide both numbers and different qualities against various opponents. Arteta confirmed Ødegaard picked up the knock against Brentford and admitted the growing injury list in midfield is a concern.
Early Onslaught Overwhelms Wigan
Arsenal raced into a 4-0 lead after just 27 minutes, forcing Wigan to abandon their initial back-five setup. Eze, playing in a deeper midfield role alongside Christian Nørgaard, exploited the space to deliver a precise through ball for Madueke’s opener. Seven minutes later, he repeated the feat with his left foot to set up Martinelli.
Bukayo Saka, promoted to an unfamiliar No 10 role after Riccardo Calafiori’s warm-up injury, combined with Madueke down the right. Jack Hunt’s unfortunate header turned Saka’s cross into an own goal for the third. Gabriel Jesus then added the fourth after being set up by Nørgaard’s long pass, leaving Wigan shell-shocked.
Wigan, struggling in the League One relegation zone with only one point from their last seven league games, had no answer to Arsenal’s attacking quality. Interim manager Glenn Whelan, who consulted Keith Andrews for advice on facing the record 14-time FA Cup winners, saw his side overwhelmed early.
Second-Half Control and Debuts
Arsenal continued to dominate after the break. Viktor Gyökeres replaced Saka at half-time and struck the post from Ben White’s pass. Eze nearly added a goal with a mazy run but fired into the side netting. Wigan’s Sam Tickle made several outstanding saves to deny Martinelli and Eze further goals.
Youngster Marli Salmon, a highly rated 16-year-old central defender with Champions League experience, made his home debut for Arsenal after replacing William Saliba. He shifted to right-back when Ben White was withdrawn after treatment.
Wigan’s afternoon was summed up when Hunt was substituted for Matt Smith, a former Arsenal academy product, as they switched to a back four. Despite the heavy defeat, interim coach Graham Barrow noted that a small tactical tweak made a big difference and stressed the need to stick together moving forward.
The emphatic win keeps Arsenal’s hopes of an unprecedented quadruple alive while providing a much-needed confidence boost ahead of the rematch with Tottenham next weekend.
