Soccer

Arsenal get the job done against Coventry

Two goals in each half good enough to see off Sky Blues in FA Cup fourth round

Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski scopred twice before the break. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski scopred twice before the break. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA
Fri Jan 24 2014 - 21:55

Arsenal 4 Coventry City 0

Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal cruised into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 4-0 win over Coventry at the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had named a strong starting XI, which included club-record signing Mesut Ozil.

The Sky Bet League One side were never given a chance to think about causing an upset as a first-half double from Lukas Podolski put them in control of the tie, with Olivier Giroud adding a third late on after coming off the bench and fellow substitute Santi Cazorla crashing in his third goal in two appearances on 89 minutes.

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Wenger, who handed a senior debut to 16-year-old midfield prospect Gedion Zelalem — not even born when he first took charge at Highbury — will now regroup his squad for next week’s Premier League trip to Southampton on Tuesday having cruised through without really getting out of second gear.