Arsenal's Spanish head coach Mikel Arteta holds the winner's trophy as the team celebrates victory after the English FA Cup final football match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in London, on August 1, 2020. - Arsenal won the match 2-1. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
Former Premier League strategist Alan Pardew has lauded Mikel Arteta for successfully navigating Arsenal’s high-stakes pursuit of four trophies following a convincing 4-0 dismissal of Wigan Athletic. Despite the victory, Pardew maintains his skeptical stance on the Gunners’ European prospects, reiterating his belief that Liverpool remains the only side capable of claiming the Champions League title this season. The North London side enters the new week with significant momentum after washing away the frustration of Thursday’s 1-1 league draw against Brentford with a ruthless display at the Emirates Stadium.
Eberechi Eze emerged as a primary catalyst for the win, delivering an emphatic response after his halftime substitution against Brentford by facilitating key goals for Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli. The game shifted early in the 23rd minute when Wigan defender Jack Hunt inadvertently steered the ball into his own net, followed shortly by a composed strike from Gabriel Jesus that effectively ended the contest within the first half-hour. This dominant showing echoed the club’s 2014 semi-final success over the Latics, reinforcing their pedigree in a competition they have historically mastered.
“What Arteta’s done really well is he’s kept the focus of the team for every competition. That’s not easy, particularly when the team is trying to win the Premier League for a fair number of years so fair play to him. And again, today, he’s done the job again. He’s put a team out that was strong and fair play to him, he’s got another great victory,” Pardew remarked during his analysis.
While the result was flawless on the scoreboard, the evening introduced fresh concerns for Arteta as Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White suffered injuries, compounding existing anxieties over captain Martin Odegaard’s availability. Arsenal now turns its attention to the Monday night draw to identify their fifth-round opponents, just as Macclesfield prepares to face Brentford in the final fourth-round fixture. The Gunners remain the only English club contending for a clean sweep, holding the top spot in the Premier League alongside active runs in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and Champions League.
The club’s European journey continues to inspire confidence after a perfect group-stage campaign consisting of eight consecutive victories. Having secured top seed status, Arsenal now prepares for a high-profile Round of 16 encounter against one of four potential opponents: Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta, Olympiakos, or Borussia Dortmund. As the season enters its most demanding phase, Arteta’s ability to manage his thinning squad will likely determine whether the club can translate this widespread success into a historic haul of silverware.
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