Arsenal used a second-half surge to overcome a stubborn Oxford United side in the FA Cup at the Kassam Stadium and book a 4th round tie with Manchester City.
Mohamed Elneny and Eddie Nketiah’s brace carried Arsenal to a 3-0 win but the scoreline belies the actual nature of the game.
Karl Robinson’s lowly side continuously denied the Premier League leaders any clear openings in the first half as the shades of their dropped points against Newcastle began to surface again.
Elneny calmed their nerves in the 60th minute when he powered a header past Edward Mcginty in the Oxford goal from Fabio Vieira’s whipped-in free kick.
Nketiah then added a quickfire brace as the League One side looked to equalise, leaving spaces open for the counters. Vieira and Gabriel Martinelli provided assists for his goals in the 70 and 76th minutes.
With their win over Oxford United, Arsenal has now won their last 14 FA Cup ties against sides from outside the top-two divisions of English football. Wrexham remains the last side not in the top-two leagues to eliminate Arsenal in January 1992.
Man City awaits Arsenal in the FA Cup:
The Gunners will now face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the 4th round of the FA Cup.
Arsenal and City are also neck-and-neck in the Premier League race which gives their 28th January fixture even more spice.
