January 10, (THEWILL) – Arsenal ensured a frustrating outing before they rallied to beat Oxford United in the FA Cup third round on Monday with Eddie Nketiah hitting a brace in their 3-0 victory.
Despite their reputation as the top side in the English Premier League, the Gunners struggled to live up to their billing, with their lacklustre performance causing the home fans to break out into chants of “boring, boring Arsenal.”
For the first hour of the game, it even seemed like Oxford United might pull off a shock upset, with the League One side holding their own against their top-flight opponents.
However, a moment of brilliance from Mohamed Elneny changed the game, as the midfielder’s header finally broke the deadlock and gave Arsenal the lead.
Eddie Nketiah then added a quickfire double in the final 20 minutes to secure a 3-0 victory for the Gunners, a scoreline that ultimately flattered the performance of Mikel Arteta’s charges even though it was a heavily changed side mixed with regular starters and others including a return for Emile Smith-Rowe.
While it was a much-needed win for Arsenal, Arteta will know to return to their standard starting XI if they hope to continue their success in the competition, especially with a tough match against Manchester City in the fourth round on the horizon.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
