Arsenal defeated Wigan Athletic 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round at Emirates Stadium on February 15, 2026. The win advanced the Gunners to the fifth round for the first time since 2020.
Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, rotated the squad extensively. Meanwhile Graham Barrow served as caretaker manager for Wigan, a League One side.
Explosive First Half
Noni Madueke opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a composed finish after Eberechi Eze provided a superb through ball. Gabriel Martinelli doubled the lead seven minutes later, slamming home another assist from Eze.
Then Jack Hunt scored an own goal in the 23rd minute when he headed Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net. Gabriel Jesus completed the blitz in the 27th minute, dinking the ball over goalkeeper Sam Tickle following Christian Norgaard’s precise long pass.
Second-Half Consolidation
Arsenal maintained control after the break. Viktor Gyokeres nearly added a fifth when his deflected shot hit the woodwork. Additionally Eze tested the goalkeeper with a free-kick and a side netting effort.
Marli Salmon and Tommy Setford made their home debuts as substitutes. Kepa Arrizabalaga preserved the clean sheet with key saves from Joe Taylor and Raphel Rodrigues.
Post-Match Reactions
Mikel Arteta praised the performance. “We started so well. We made a lot of changes because of players who needed minutes and deserve minutes as well,” Arteta stated. Graham Barrow highlighted Wigan’s resilience. “We recovered from being 4-0 down, that was the main thing,” Barrow said.
Noni Madueke commended Eze. “He was unbelievable today. He pulled all the strings from the middle,” Madueke remarked. Christian Norgaard expressed satisfaction. “I felt really comfortable today on the pitch in the first half,” Norgaard noted. The victory marked Arsenal’s 22nd clean sheet of the season.
