Arsenal v Wigan Athletic: FA Cup Fourth Round Preview
Arsenal head into their FA Cup fourth-round tie with Wigan Athletic aiming to extend a busy domestic and European campaign. Kick-off at Emirates Stadium is scheduled for 11: 30am ET, with the Gunners looking to protect momentum while the Latics arrive buoyed by a shock cup win despite deepening league woes.
Arsenal: selection headaches and momentum
The hosts arrive with confidence from recent results but will manage a handful of fitness concerns. Gabriel Martinelli provides a reminder of Arsenal’s attacking potency after his hat-trick in the third round, and the squad have considerable depth across forward areas. Mikel Arteta framed the match as another opportunity, saying: "It's an opportunity for the team, again, with another competition, and the history that we have related to that competition, it's amazing. We'll play at home again. I'm really excited to recover and go again. "
Key absentees include Mikel Merino, still sidelined with a foot injury. Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard have recently returned from short absences and came off the bench in the weekend fixture, while William Saliba missed that match through illness. Kai Havertz also picked up a knock but there is optimism about rotating personnel to keep legs fresh across a packed fixture list that includes top-flight, continental and domestic cup commitments.
For Arsenal this tie is less than a routine date on the calendar. The club have history in the competition and are keen to progress; the FA Cup remains one of the clearest routes to silverware this season as they balance Premier League leadership, Champions League ambition and a place at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final.
Wigan: upheaval, low league form and cup belief
Wigan arrive in north London amid instability. League One form has been poor, with the Latics slipping into the relegation zone and suffering a run of defeats that prompted the departure of Ryan Lowe after 11 months in charge. Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow will take interim charge for the trip.
Despite league struggles Wigan have rediscovered cup form, most notably with a defiant 1-0 win at Deepdale against Preston North End in round three. That result highlighted the Latics’ pragmatic approach in knockout football: willing to cede possession, sit compactly and strike on the break. In league action Wigan typically average about 44. 6% possession, a figure that dropped dramatically to 30. 5% in the Preston upset, which suggests Arsenal should expect long periods of the ball in this tie.
Wigan can still pose problems on the flanks. Fraser Murray has been influential down the right, producing an impressive volume of crosses in open play this season. There are also technically capable players in midfield and attack, including Matt Smith, a former academy player at Arsenal who collected an FA Cup winners’ medal in 2020. Interim managers will need to pick a shape fast: recent experimentation across 3-1-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 leaves formation selection open and unpredictable.
Graham Barrow urged players to channel nerves positively: "Fear is a positive thing for the players. It's like nerves. You read about top sportsmen, who say you need nerves otherwise you don't care about it. You have to learn to deal with it. You can't be that nervous that you're frightened... you need to use it as a motivator. " That mindset, and Wigan’s cup pedigree, make them more dangerous than their league position suggests.
Key match themes and what to watch
Expect a contrast in styles. Arsenal will dominate possession and probe for openings; Wigan’s plan is likely to be compact defending and quick transitions, aiming to exploit space on the break and use the wide areas effectively. Set plays and crosses down the right could be decisive for the visitors, while Arsenal will need clinical finishing and full-back support to stretch a deep block.
Rotation will be a storyline for Arsenal. Managing minutes for senior players without losing control of the match will be important. For Wigan, cohesion under interim management and the capacity to reproduce the discipline that beat Preston are the immediate priorities.
On paper the favourites are clear, but the FA Cup’s history of surprises keeps the tie intriguing. Emirates Stadium will provide a stern test for the Latics, but cup momentum and tactical discipline mean an upset cannot be dismissed.
