No banana skins in sight as Arsenal make short shrift of League One Wigan

Holloway the lads : Picture by @YTJourno

FA Cup Fourth Round

Arsenal (4) 4 Madueke 11, Martinelli 18, Hunt og 23, Jesus 27

Wigan Athletic (0) 0

It all felt so low-key - and after all the recent nervous anxiety of chasing Premier League points, that suited the Gunners just fine.

Four goals in the opening half an hour put the tie well and truly to bed, meaning no needless excess energy was expended. It felt like a relaxing break from the relentless heavy-duty stuff where vital points are at stake.

The Emirates was subdued in the build-up and the usual full-throated pre-match hustle and bustle in the stands was conspicuous by its absence.

Not that this felt anything less than a major event for the League One visitors occupying the lower section of the Clock End. It's 13 years on from their greatest day - the incredible FA Cup win of 2013 at the expense of Man City - and many among them will have dreamt of sampling some of that euphoria one again.

A much-changed Arsenal were resolved not to make a song and dance of all this, however. They have huge matches on the horizon and Wednesday's visit to Wolves will no doubt have featured in Mikel Arteta's thinking when it came to team selection.

Declan Rice and Gabriel started on the bench. Bukayo Saka played, but only because Riccardo Calafiori was injured in the warm-up.

It felt like a good chance for Eberechi Eze to underline his value - having struggled to make an impact in recent games - and he delivered after barely 10 minutes with a lovely pass through the middle to carve open the Latics' defence.

Noni Madueke, scorer in the midweek draw with Brentford, slipped it past the advancing Sam Tickle in the Wigan goal.

With five defeats in their previous winless six games, the writing already looked on the wall for the Lancastrians and soon Eze was providing another assist, this time down the left channel for Gabriel Maertinelli to race onto and crack past Tickle.

And it was 3-0 five minutes later. Madueke fed Bukayo Saka on the overlap and although Gabi Jesus could not convert his low cross, Wigan defender helped out by heading into his own net.

Embarrassment levels of superiority had already kicked in. Christian Norgaard - making a rare start - was given all the time in the world he needed on half way to pick out Jesus, who was unchallenged as he sized up the task before lifting the ball beyond Wigan's keeper.

Wigan fans took their small comforts where they could find them. A few passes brought out ironic 'Oles'. Joe Taylor finally got a shot away for the crushed visitors - though it was hit straight at Kepa.

It was interesting to see Saka take up a no10 role in midfield and he seemed to enjoy the change of routine. But the experiment only lasted 45 minutes, with Arteta bringing on Viktor Gyokeres in place of the England winger at half-time.

The comfort zone allowed the boss to give a home debut to youngster Marli Salmon. The 16-year-old played a part in the previous round's 4-1 win at Portsmouth. Keeper Tommy Setford, 19, was also given the last moments for his home debut.

Arsenal looked only half-interested in pressing for more goals. Gyokeres hit a post and Martinelli's header from sub Martin Zubimendi's cross almost beat the keeper, but Wigan worked hard to ensure there would be no further damage.

Gunners: (4-3-3) Kepa (Setford 87) - White (Zubimendi 79), Saliba (Salmon 61), Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly - Eze, Norgaard, Madueke (Trossard 61) - Saka (Gyokeres h/t), Jesus, Martinelli

Latics: (3-4-2-1) Tickle - Aimson, Kerr (Sessegnon 77), Fox - Hunt (Smith 30), Weir, Moxon (Hungbo 77), Murray - Borges Rodgrigues (Bettoni 77), Wright - Taylor (Costelloe 63)

Attendance: 59,996