Arsenal’s pursuit of silverware continued in style on Sunday, February 15, 2026, as the Gunners swept aside Wigan Athletic 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round at the Emirates Stadium. Under the bright London lights, Mikel Arteta’s men wasted no time, putting the contest to bed before the half-hour mark and booking their place in the fifth round of the competition for the first time since their 2020 triumph. For Wigan, a club mired in a relegation scrap in League One and reeling from recent managerial upheaval, the gulf in class was clear from the outset, yet the Latics will take some pride in their resilience after the early onslaught.
Coming into the match, Arsenal were expected to make several changes from their midweek 1-1 draw with Brentford. Injuries to key players Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino forced Arteta’s hand, while Martin Ødegaard’s minor knee issue kept him on the bench. William Saliba, recovered from illness, returned to the starting lineup, and Bukayo Saka was thrust into a central midfield role at the last minute following Riccardo Calafiori’s injury during warm-up. The confirmed Arsenal lineup read: Kepa Arrizabalaga; Ben White, Yerson Mosquera, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Christian Norgaard, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze; Noni Madueke, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli. On the Wigan side, interim boss Glenn Whelan—recently installed after the sacking of Ryan Lowe—sent out a side featuring Sam Tickle; Jack Hunt, Jason Kerr, Curtis Tilt, Tom Pearce; Matt Smith, Callum Lang, Fraser Murray, Stephen Humphrys, Thelo Aasgaard, and Joe Taylor.
Arsenal’s FA Cup pedigree is well documented, with 14 trophies in their history, but the club had not advanced past the fourth round since 2020. Arteta, speaking before the match, emphasized the importance of rotating his squad: “Yes, that’s what we’ve been doing. I mean, try to make sure that everybody is a big part of what we are doing in different competitions, and Sunday will be the same.” His words proved prophetic as the Gunners’ depth was on full display.
Wigan, meanwhile, entered the tie in dire straits. Tied for 22nd in League One, one point from safety, and with a game in hand, the Latics had not tasted victory since their 1-0 FA Cup third-round upset over Preston North End. Their league form—four straight losses and just 31 goals scored all season—painted a grim picture. The managerial change, with Glenn Whelan and Graham Barrow taking interim charge, added another layer of uncertainty. As Barrow put it, “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. It has always been part of 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.”
From the opening whistle, Arsenal asserted themselves. Eberechi Eze, operating in a central role, orchestrated the attack with poise and vision. It took just 11 minutes for the breakthrough: Eze sliced open the Wigan defense with a disguised pass, and Noni Madueke coolly slotted home past Tickle. The Emirates crowd barely had time to settle before Eze produced another moment of magic, setting up Gabriel Martinelli for a clinical finish across goal in the 19th minute.
Wigan’s defensive woes continued as a dangerous cross from Saka in the 23rd minute was flicked on by Jesus and deflected off Jack Hunt into his own net—an unfortunate own goal that made it 3-0. Just four minutes later, Christian Norgaard lofted a ball over the top, and Gabriel Jesus raced through, dinking a composed finish over Tickle to put Arsenal four goals to the good before half an hour had elapsed. The Gunners became the first Premier League team since 1992-93 to score four goals in the opening 30 minutes of an FA Cup game, according to OptaJoe.
With the outcome all but sealed, Arsenal managed the game with professionalism. Arteta, ever mindful of player fitness, rotated his squad heavily in the second half. Viktor Gyokeres replaced Saka at halftime, and teenage goalkeeper Tommy Setford was handed a debut in the closing stages, much to the delight of the home support. David Raya, Arsenal’s regular shot-stopper, applauded his fellow keepers from the stands—a testament to the club’s unity and depth.
Wigan, to their credit, refused to capitulate. Joe Taylor forced a strong save from Kepa Arrizabalaga, and the Latics’ defensive shape improved after the break. Yet, as Adrian Clarke noted in the official matchday programme, Wigan’s low-possession, counter-attacking style—averaging just 44.6% of the ball in League One and dropping to 30.5% in their cup win at Preston—was always likely to see Arsenal dominate territory and chances. Fraser Murray, a bright spot on Wigan’s right flank, tried to spark something with his crossing ability, but the visitors struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
Notably, Arsenal’s set-piece prowess continued from the previous round, where all four goals against Portsmouth came from dead-ball situations. This time, their open-play creativity shone, with Eze’s two assists and Madueke’s sharpness on the right wing catching the eye. The link-up between Saka and Madueke, as well as the flexibility shown by Arteta in deploying Saka centrally, provided further tactical intrigue for the Gunners’ supporters. “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,” Arteta had said before the match, and his side delivered emphatically.
For Wigan, the cup run ends, but their remarkable record of six consecutive away FA Cup victories—conceding just one goal in that span—remains a point of pride. The Latics’ focus now shifts back to their League One survival battle, with interim bosses Whelan and Barrow searching for the spark to lift them out of the relegation zone.
As the final whistle blew, Arsenal’s players and fans celebrated a job well done. The Gunners now look ahead to a busy run of fixtures, still alive in four competitions and brimming with confidence. For Arteta, the blend of youth, experience, and tactical innovation on display bodes well for the challenges to come. Wigan, despite the heavy defeat, leave North London with valuable lessons and the hope that their cup spirit can inspire a turnaround in league form.
With the Emirates faithful in full voice and the quadruple dream still alive, Arsenal’s FA Cup journey marches on—next stop, the fifth round.