Late goals see Arsenal through in FA Cup

London, Jan 11 -

With two goals scored in the second half of extra time, FA Cup holders Arsenal sent Newcastle crashing out in the third round. The win, their fourth in a row — three in the Premier League — also showed that the Gunners are back in form after a poor run earlier.

They went into the lead in the 19th minute of extra time with an excellent effort from 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe, only minutes after he was shown the red card which was then rescinded by VAR monitor.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, pleased with Smith Rowe’s performance, said: “I didn’t think he should be sent off. The regulations gave us VAR and today it worked the way it should. It means we believe in Smith Rowe. He is doing well and becoming important in the team.

The personality he plays with, we ask him to be more of a threat in the box and he scored an important goal for us.”

Arteta added: “For young players to step in at difficult moments like this is not easy. They need experience around them. We’ve a great mixture. We can’t put too much responsibility on them. We have the talent and the characters which is healthy and also promising for the future.”

But the win was a close shave for the Gunners who were pushed to the limit by Newcastle who blew two brilliant chances to score, both were missed by Andy Carroll.

First, he sent a header wide from close and then after 18-year-old Elliot Anderson had come on as substitute on his debut and seen his shot blocked by the goalkeeper, Carroll missed the follow up with a weak shot.

Arsenal missed the chance of taking the lead in the first period of extra time when a powerful drive from Granit Xhaka was superbly tipped over the bar by Martin Dubravka. Smith Rowe’s goal — his fifth for the club — came after a combined move by substitutes Alex Lacazette and Bukayo Saka.

A header from Lacazette was taken on the chest by Smith Rowe who then went past the Newcastle defence on the right and finished with a brilliant shot inside the far post.

The goal seemed to lift the Gunners and on 117 minutes, Kieran Tierney, after receiving a pass from Xhaka, raced down the left to cross to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who simply had to tap into the net from close range for the second goal to put the game beyond Newcastle.

Andy Jalil