Arsenal ease into FA Cup Fifth Round with first-half masterclass against Wigan Athletic

A barrage of goals early in the first half settled the tie, as Noni Madueke (11'), Gabriel Martinelli (19'), Jack Hunt (OG 23') and Gabriel Jesus (27') were all on target inside the opening 30 minutes.

It took Arsenal a couple of minutes to settle into their passing rhythm but slowly started to assert their Premier League dominance against their struggling League One opponents.

After a few half-chances, it was Eberechi Eze with the first shot of the day with an effort that was deflected out for a corner.

Myles Lewis-Skelly fired over after the resultant Gunners set-piece, but Noni Madueke made no mistake with a calm finish just a few minutes later as he latched on a super ball straight through the heart of the wigan defence from Eze.

Wigan looked liked they were just starting to compete with the Gunners, until Eze picked up the ball just beyond the half-way line again. The England midfielder played another ball through, this time to release Martinelli, who made no mistake with a powerful shot past Sam Tickle in the Wigan goal.

The afternoon went from bad to worse for the away as a Bukary Saka cross from the right-hand side was headed into his own net from Jack Hunt.

Arsenal were in again just seconds later after a ball from Christian Norgaard set Martinelli in on goal, but this time Tickle was quickest out to make the save before Hunt completed the clearance.

But before the Wigan defence even had a chance to recover, the Gunners were four goals to the good.

Jesus was played onside with a ball over the top of the Wigan defence from Norgaard, and the Brazilian chipped the advancing Tickle for the easiest of finishes.

Joe Taylor nearly pulled a goal back for Wigan after an improved spell of possession as the ball dropped kindly to him inside the area. The stocky number 10 did well to hold off the challenge of Cristhian Mosquera before firing in a shot that Kepa Arrizabalaga did well to hold on to.

Raphael Borges Rodrigues denied Mosquera a headed goal with his strong challenge after Madueke had shrugged off his man to put in a deep cross from the right. The same player then forced Kepa to get down low to his left to keep out a 43rd minute shot from the edge of the area.

Jesus was offside when he fired in on goal on the turn at the start of the second half that Tickle did well to get behind.

Viktor Gyokeres had come on for Saka at half-time and needed just 10 minutes to rattle the Wigan post with a powerful shot, although replays showed that the ball deflected onto the woodwork off the toe of Wigan defender Will Aimson.

Soon after, Eze fired into the side-netting after picking up a Martinelli ball and driving into the box.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta introduced teenager Marli Salmon for his third appearance of the season for William Saliba on the hour mark as Madueke made way for Leandro Trossard; and Taylor departed the field for the incoming Dara Costelloe for Wigan.

The impact was almost immediate as Jason Kerr was forced to get a boot to the ball and clear a dangerous Trossard ball from the left into the stands. There was also some frantic action in the Wigan box after a quickly taken free-kick, but the move petered out as Martinelli dallied on the ball before conceding possession.

Arsenal continued to look for more goals as the game wore on, but with visibly less intent, before another change, with Martin Zubimendi on for an injured Ben White, alongside a raft of substitutions from Wigan's interim co-head coaches Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow, in charge of just their second game since the departure of Ryan Lowe, with the club in 22nd place on the Third Division standings.

A couple of late Wigan free-kicks failed to threaten the Gunners' defence while Tickle made an excellent one-handed save to keep out a Martinelli header, from a superb delivery from Trossard from the left, again.

Tommy Setford replaced Kepa for the final few minutes of a game and did well with his first involvement to pluck a looping free-kick out of the air.

Arsenal had certainly slowed down the tempo, but there was still time for one final chance as Eze forced another strong save from Tickle, who impressed in the tie despite a difficult first half.

Arsenal will now await their Fifth Round opponents, ahead of a Premier League trip to bottom-side Wolves on Wednesday, as Wigan host eighth-placed Luton Town.