Arsenal 4-0 Wigan: Fast-starting Gunners cruise through to FA Cup fifth round
Arsenal turned the fourth-round tie into a one-sided contest early, running up four goals inside the opening 30 minutes to eliminate struggling Wigan and reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2020. The emphatic victory on 15 February 2026 (ET) underlined Arsenal's depth and left their quadruple ambitions very much alive.
Eze ignites a devastating opening burst
Eberechi Eze was central to Arsenal's fast start, which began in the 11th minute. Picking the ball near the halfway line, he played a defence-splitting pass that set Noni Madueke free; Madueke finished calmly past Sam Tickle to open the scoring. Seven minutes later Eze produced another excellent assist, this time teeing up Gabriel Martinelli to slot home and double the lead.
The pressure told again shortly after when a slick move involving Bukayo Saka and Madueke forced Jack Hunt into an attempted clearance that looped into his own net, making it 3-0. The rout was completed in the 27th minute when Christian Norgaard released Gabriel Jesus, who dinked the keeper to cap a devastating first-half display.
That spell — four goals inside half an hour — made Arsenal the first Premier League side to score four times in the opening 30 minutes of an FA Cup match, a marker of how thoroughly the visitors were overwhelmed in the opening period.
Team news, rotation and key moments
Mikel Arteta named a heavily rotated lineup, yet the changes did nothing to dull Arsenal's threat. A late switch before kick-off forced Bukayo Saka into the starting XI after Riccardo Calafiori withdrew with an injury in the warm-up; Saka was handed an unfamiliar central role and linked play effectively as he continues to build match fitness following a hip issue.
Christian Norgaard provided the assist for the fourth goal and the midfield balance Arsenal sought. Kepa Arrizabalaga kept the clean sheet with a strong stop to deny Joe Taylor in one of Wigan's rare moments of threat, and substitute Viktor Gyökeres rattled the post in the second half when Arsenal pushed for a fifth.
Wigan arrived with well-documented league problems and were unable to contain the Premier League leaders. Their interim manager opted for a defensive setup but could not withstand Arsenal's early onslaught, and the match petered out into comfortable control for the hosts after the first-half flurry.
What it means next
The win moves Arsenal on to the FA Cup fifth round and provides a useful boost ahead of a congested run of fixtures, with key players getting minutes and fringe players stepping up. For Wigan, the result highlights the gulf in class on the night and compounds a difficult league campaign.
Arteta's side will take satisfaction from an efficient, ruthless performance in a competition they have not progressed beyond since lifting the trophy in 2020. The manner of the victory — clinical from the first whistle — will be seen as a timely reminder of Arsenal's depth as they juggle domestic and cup commitments in the weeks ahead.
