Arsenal have endured something of a dry post-Christmas, which is just as angst-inducing for footballers, so this was a welcome tonic. The club’s Premier League title hopes have been hurt by the losses to Southampton and Chelsea while there have been the draws at Liverpool and Stoke City but their FA Cup defence remains on track.
It was a decent enough tie, with Burnley playing a full part, but Arsenal always looked to have too much and they put themselves into the hat for the fifth round courtesy of Alexis Sánchez’s winning goal.
The Chile forward was making his first start since 29 November, when he tore his hamstring at Norwich City, and he marked it by finishing off a sweeping second-half counter. It was a classic goal and one that was worthy of being decisive.
Arsenal had been mindful of the threat from Championship opposition, having been dumped out of the Capital One Cup by Sheffield Wednesday in October, and Burnley had their moments, most notably when Sam Vokes powered home a headed equaliser. The home team had led through Calum Chambers’s beauty – the second goal of his Arsenal career, with the first against Burnley in the league last season.
But Arsène Wenger’s imposing record in the FA Cup against lower league teams was never really under threat. Only once in 41 ties has he been tripped up and that was by Burnley’s hated rivals, Blackburn Rovers, here in February 2013.
Wenger hoped that the victory would be a boost for Tuesday’s home game against Southampton and he was reassured by Sánchez’s dynamic performance and the seal that he set upon it with the goal. “When he got injured, you could see signs of fatigue but he has had a long rest now‚” Wenger said. “Two months’ rest is a good winter break. Physically, you could see Alexis is ready.”
It had looked like being a straightforward afternoon for Arsenal as they controlled the opening 20 minutes, even though Burnley had a good chance when Andre Gray banged Laurent Koscielny off a ball over the top to run in on goal, only for David Ospina to make an important block.
Burnley responded in style and the equaliser came when they recycled a move on the edge of the Arsenal area. Kieran Gibbs sought to close down the ball but when he slid into a challenge, he succeeded only in upending his own man, Francis Coquelin, who lay in agony as Scott Arfield worked the ball to Tendayi Darikwa. The right-back’s cross was inviting and, as Chambers hesitated, Vokes rose to head past Ospina.The opening goal was a moment that Chambers will always cherish. Goals are not a prominent part of his armoury but the uninitiated would never have known given the quality of the finish. From Sánchez’s slipped pass, Chambers had to take on the shot first time, and with the outside of his right boot, but the execution was perfect, the effort curling inside the far corner.
Sean Dyche, the Burnley manager, talked of the reaction and his team’s overall performance, which was marked by hustle and physicality up front, as being the kind that “does no harm in terms of building mentality”. He proudly described them as having been awkward to play against and he was certainly right.
But Arsenal, for whom Coquelin made a comeback from his long-term knee ligament problem, did not look back after they went in front for the second time. The move started on the edge of their own box when Gibbs won possession and shifted it to Alex Iwobi and Arsenal were off and running towards the slickest of team goals.
Iwobi found Sánchez, who moved it up to Olivier Giroud, whose flick was perfect for Iwobi and he played it wide for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The winger’s cross teed up Sánchez and he tucked away his 10th goal of the season.
Mohamed Elneny, the recent signing from Basel, enjoyed a solid debut after a cautious start, as the more attack-minded of Arsenal’s two central midfielders. He worked Tom Heaton with a vicious drive on 63 minutes and he went close late on while Iwobi could also reflect on a lively performance.
Arsenal had other opportunities in the second half with Koscielny having an effort headed off the line by Arfield, Heaton beating away Sánchez’s free-kick and then denying substitute Theo Walcott one on one at the death.
Burnley sought one more clear-cut chance. It did not come.
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