Mikel Arteta harbors the hope that this concern will prove to be minor.
A last-minute alteration to Arsenal’s initial lineup for Sunday’s FA Cup encounter against Wigan Athletic became necessary after Riccardo Calafiori sustained an injury during the warm-up. However, this did not prevent them from dominating the game and securing a commanding 4-0 advantage by halftime.
Calafiori had been reinstated to the squad for the fourth-round fixture, after being benched during Thursday’s 1-1 stalemate against Brentford.
Nevertheless, the Premier League frontrunners encountered a hitch when Calafiori was compelled to exit the team because of his injury. Arsenal consequently relied on winger Bukayo Saka to occupy the vacant position. Myles Lewis-Skelly, initially chosen for the midfield trio, shifted to left-back.
Despite the alteration in squad members, Arsenal successfully asserted dominance in the contest against the struggling League One side.
Noni Madueke initiated the scoring in the 11th minute, skillfully placing the ball into the bottom-left corner subsequent to receiving Eberechi Eze’s exceptional pass.
Gabriel Martinelli extended Arsenal’s advantage seven minutes subsequent to that, surging forward to intercept another precisely delivered pass from Eze and striking it past Wigan’s custodian, Sam Tickle.
The situation deteriorated further for the Latics as Jack Hunt inadvertently scored an own goal, making it 3-0. Gabriel Jesus’s delicate chip then transformed the match into an overwhelming victory, with Wigan suffering the consequences of their elevated defensive line as the Brazilian bypassed the offside rule to connect with Christian Norgaard’s delivery.
Martinelli Echoes Ian Wright’s Feat with Arsenal’s Second Goal
Despite netting only a single Premier League goal this campaign, Martinelli has displayed superb prowess in front of goal across Arsenal’s other competitions during 2025-26.
The Brazilian’s strike, which extended their lead to 2-0, signified his tenth of the current season spanning both European and national cup tournaments.
Attaining this double-digit tally, Martinelli became Arsenal’s inaugural player to register at least 10 goals in European and domestic cup competitions since Ian Wright achieved it in the 1994-95 season.
A total of six of Martinelli’s goals originated in the Champions League; his goal against Wigan came after he scored a hat-trick in the prior round, guaranteeing a 4-1 triumph away at Portsmouth.
Even though his recent accomplishment occurred in a lopsided match against a lower-division adversary, Martinelli’s impressive goal count beyond league fixtures underscores the offensive prowess available to Arsenal.
Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus precede him in the offensive hierarchy, yet with Kai Havertz facing another period of absence due to a muscle ailment, Martinelli might encounter more chances in the forthcoming weeks.
The assist provider for Martinelli’s goal likewise etched his name in history, as Eze delivered arguably his most impressive display in what has, thus far, proven to be a challenging 2026.
By providing assistance for both of the initial two goals, the erstwhile Crystal Palace midfielder emerged as the first Arsenal individual to register several assists in a home FA Cup fixture since Hector Bellerin’s performance against Sunderland in January 2016.
Coach Mikel Arteta possesses the luxury of having immense faith in the offensive resources available to him, as Arsenal persist in contending across four different competitions. Given that numerous significant matches, specifically London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea, along with the EFL Cup final versus Manchester City, loom ahead, Arteta will undoubtedly wish that Calafiori’s injury does not diminish his defensive selections for an extended duration.