Oxford United v Arsenal Live Commentary & Result, 09/01/2023, FA Cup

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Next up for both sides, Oxford United head away to Fleetwood Town in League One while Arsenal travel to face Tottenham away in the North London Derby.

A superb second-half performance from Arsenal has seen the Premier League side run away 3-0 winners away at Oxford United. After a first half of few chances, the game was sprung into life when Elneny headed home Vieira's excellent cross from a free-kick. Vieira was the provider once again as he threaded through Nketiah to double Arsenal's lead. The Arsenal striker would double his tally and net Arsenal's third, just moments later, with a deft chip over McGinty having been played through by Martinelli.

90' + 2' FULL-TIME: Oxford United 0-3 Arsenal

90' There will be two minutes of extra time in this second half.

89' Arsenal are still pressing forward but Nketiah sees his effort blocked before Zinchenko fires well over from long distance.

88' Goodrham sends the cross in and Long is able to meet it but the Oxford centre-back is unable to generate any power and Turner collects with ease.

87' O’Donkor holds up the ball well down the left-hand side and draws a foul for Oxford after a foul from Zinchenko.

B. Fleming

C. Brown

84' Left-back Brown heads off as well and on comes Fleming for his Oxford debut.

J. Johnson

M. McGuane

84' Oxford make another double change with central midfielder McGuane off for Johnson.

83' Anderson continues to pose a threat down the Oxford right but Gabriel gets across to block it out for corner which Arsenal clear before Brannagan fires well over from outside the box.

Marquinhos

Fábio Vieira

82' Vieira, who assisted Arsenal's first two goals, heads off as well with Marquinhos coming on in his place.

B. White

T. Tomiyasu

81' Arsenal make another double change. First off is right-back Tomiyasu with White coming on to replace him.

80' WIDE!! Arsenal are raining down efforts on the Oxford goal now. Vieira's cute touch around the corner allows Martinelli to attack down the left-back. The Brazillian's cross finds its way to Smith Rowe but the returning midfielder sees his effort deflected wide for a corner.

T. Goodrham

B. Bodin

77' Goodrham is also on in the forward line with Bodin making way.

G. O'Donkor

M. Taylor

77' Oxford turn to their bench with a double change. First off is Taylor with the youngster O'Donkor on to replace him.

Gabriel Martinelli

Assist

76' Martinelli's pass is patient but well-timed to play through Nketiah to finish.

E. Nketiah

Goal

76' GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!! 3-0!! Nketiah is at the double and this game is surely out of sight for Arsenal now. Arsenal break forward from their own half and Martinelli has time and space to slide through Nketiah. The finish is sublime and full of confidence from the Arsenal striker as he dinks it delightfully over the onrushing McGinty and into the Oxford net.

E. Smith Rowe

B. Saka

75' Saka is not risked any further and is taken off with Smith Rowe coming on for his first minutes since September.

74' There is a pause in play before the corner is taken with Saka down and receiving treatment.

73' Oxford have got to push forward and they do through Wildschut but Holding gets in to poke the ball out for a corner for the home team.

Fábio Vieira

Assist

70' Vieira's second assist is perhaps even better than his first. The weight of pass was lovely and he put it on a plate for Nketiah to finish.

E. Nketiah

Goal

70' GOOOOOAALLLL!!!! 2-0!!! Nketiah has doubled Arsenal's lead and there is some much-needed breathing space for the Premier League side. Arsenal win the ball back in the middle of the park and Vieira finds himself with all kinds of space. He slides through Nketiah with a perfectly-weighted ball and the striker makes no mistake, rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.

68' Oxford had defended so well up until that goal but will now need to find a moment of attacking inspiration to get themselves back into this third-round tie.

Fábio Vieira

Assist

63' Vieira's set pieces have been mixed in this game but this one is perfect and allows Elneny to head home.

Mohamed Elneny

Goal

63' GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!! ARSENAL ARE AHEAD!!! The Premier League leaders finally have their goal from a free-kick. It is a great cross from Vieira and a powerful header from Elneny who finds space in the Oxford box.

Y. Wildschut

J. Murphy

62' Robinson and Oxford make a change as well with Murphy being replaced by Wildschut.

G. Xhaka

A. Lokonga

62' In midfield, there is also a change for Arsenal with Xhaka coming on for Lokonga.

O. Zinchenko

K. Tierney

61' Arsenal turn to the bench for the first time in this game with a double change. Zinchenko comes on for Tierney at left-back.

C. Brown

Yellow Card

59' Oxford's left-back Brown is the first to enter the book after a foul on Nketiah.

59' Oxford threaten with a corner of their own and a great cross from Brown has to be headed out by Gabriel with Long lurking in the six-yard box.

57' Arsenal win another corner but this one falls to Nketiah with a lot to do and the striker can only head it high and wide for a goal kick.

56' Arsenal threaten with the following corner as McGinty has to squirm to the front post and ensure the effort doesn't sneak in at the near post.

55' GREAT BLOCK! It's the first moment of quality from Arsenal as Vieira and Saka combine. The Englishman cuts inside and fires towards the far corner but it is blocked excellently by Bate tracking back.

53' Oxford have continued with their hard work and pressing and they nearly carve out a couple of opportunities through Bodin down the left wing but the first is blocked and the second claimed well by Turner.

51' Martinelli shows superb close-ball control to get the better of Murphy and Anderson for the first time in this encounter. His cross is poor, however, and it is cleared for a throw-in.

49' Oxford and Taylor nearly find themself with a golden opportunity. The first-time ball forward from Brown is over the Arsenal defence but Turner is off his goalline quickly to snuffle out the opportunity with Taylor looking to stretch and poke it goalbound.

47' Vieira's first corner of the second half is cleared twice by Oxford in the early stages of this second 45.

46' Arsenal get this second half underway.

Arteta will be looking for a much-improved second half from his Arsenal side and, above all else, will be looking to avoid a replay and another fixture in what is already a congested period for the Premier League leaders. Robinson will no doubt be hugely encouraged by that Oxford first-half performance which gave away no chances of note to the away side. Oxford will have to continue to battle hard and contend with Arsenal's quality off the bench as well but they are well in this FA Cup third-round tie and could well be on their way to a shock result.

It's goalless at the break with neither Oxford nor Arsenal threatening greatly. Blocked efforts from Brannagan and Lokongo and an effort from Nketiah that went comfortably over was the only goalmouth action from a first half which saw Arsenal have more of the ball but rarely threaten their League One opposition who were determined and dogged in their pressing and defensive organisation.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: Oxford United 0-0 Arsenal

45' There will be just one minute of added time in this first half.

45' It is a free-kick for Oxford before the break but the chance is wasted as an Oxford player strays offside.

43' Arsenal resort to a long throw and the ball finds its way to Nketiah. However, it is a half-chance, at best, and his instinct effort is only diverted high and over the bar.

41' Brown with a long throw for Oxford which bounces in the box but fails to fall to the feet of an Oxford player. Anderson is dispossessed by Martinelli but the Oxford right-back is fantastic in recovery and puts in a superbly-timed tackle to make amends with the Arsenal forward bearing down on goal.

38' Moments after that promising attacking burst, Tierney does not cover himself in glory with a hugely overhit cross which sails out for an Oxford goal kick.

34' Tierney makes a mazy run infield before finding Saka. He lays it off to Tomiyasu but the cross is poor. Arsenal recycle the ball well, though, and Lokonga sees an effort blocked behind for a corner with the Arsenal players surrounding the referee with claims of a handball.

32' Straight from the goal kick, McGinty's long ball falls into the path of Taylor inside the Arsenal box but the Oxford striker can't control the bouncing ball and it goes out for an Arsenal goal kick.

31' Tierney gets himself in a good position down the left-hand side but his cross is unable to find an Arsenal player in the box and is headed clear by Long.

27' Brown and Saka face off again, this time inside the box, but it is the Oxford right-back who comes out on top again with a well-time block to stop the Arsenal forward's cross into the box.

26' There is another brief pause in play after Saka goes down following a challenge with Brown but the Englishman is back up on his feet and the game can continue.

24' The first shot of the evening is from Brannagan on the edge of the box but it is blocked well by Gabriel. It was good work initially from Bate who nicked in to steal the ball from Vieira in the middle of the park.

23' Brown and Tomiyasu collide and there is a break in play after the Arsenal right-back goes down. The Japanese international is okay to continue, however.

19' Arsenal are still looking after the ball and are having the lion's share of possession now. But Oxford are pressing the away side now and not letting them work the ball up the pitch with ease.

16' The first signs of quality from Arsenal as they work the ball quickly from left to right. Saka occupies two Oxford defenders and can free Tomiyasu but his low cross is too close to the keeper and claimed well, down low by McGinty.

15' 15 minutes into this encounter and neither side have been able to have a shot.

11' Vieira's first corner is poor but Arsenal are able to recycle the ball and win another corner. This time his delivery is better but Brown heads it clear for Oxford.

10' The first corner of the game falls to Arsenal as a retreating Murphy snuffs out some good combination play between Tierney and Martinelli.

8' A long ball over the top from Arsenal plays Saka through down the right wing. He contests with Brown and thinks he has the better of the left-back but the referee adjudges Saka to have fouled Brown and it is a free-kick for the home side.

8' More encouragement for Oxford as right-back Anderson gets forward. His cross doesn't find anyone and Turner comes to collect it comfortably.

7' Moore looks for a long ball over the top for Taylor but the Arsenal centre-back duo cramp the striker for space and see the ball comfortably into the palms of Turner.

5' Taylor receives the ball on the halfway line and tries to spray a pass out to Bodin on the right wing but the referee's boot intercepts it and the play has to be restarted.

3' It is still the early stages of this encounter with both sides misplacing passes but clearly looking to look after the ball when they have it.

1' Oxford United get this match underway!

This is the first meeting between Oxford United and Arsenal since the third round of the FA Cup in 2002-03, which Arsenal won 2-0 with Dennis Bergkamp scoring his 100th goal for the club in the game. The Gunners went on to win the FA Cup that year.

Mikel Arteta names a heavily-rotated side with seven changes from the side that drew with Newcastle. In goal Turner replaces Aaron Ramsdale while in defence on Gabriel retains his place with Tomiyasu, Holding, and Tierney coming in for William Saliba, White and Zinchenko. In midfield Vieira, Elneny and Lokanga come in for Odegaard, Partey, and Xhaka. The front three remain the same.

Karl Robinson makes two changes from his Oxford side's defeat to Exeter City. Up front, Bodin and Murphy come into the side with Wildschut and Goodrham making way.

ARSENAL SUBS: Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Emile Smith Rowe, Granit Xhaka, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Karl Hein, Thomas Partey, Marquinhos.

ARSENAL (4-3-3): Matt Turner; Takehiro Tomiyasu, Rob Holding, Gabriel Magalhaes, Kieran Tierney; Fabio Vieira, Mohamed Elneny, Albert Sambi Lokonga; Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli.

OXFORD UNITED SUBS: Joshua Johnson. Brandon Fleming, Gatlin O'Donkor, Yanic Wildschut, Stephan Negru, Yoav Sade, Stuart Findlay, Tyler Goodrham, Simon Eastwood.

OXFORD UNITED (4-3-3): Edward McGinty; Djavan Anderson, Elliott Moore, Sam Long, Ciaron Brown; Lewis Bate, Marcus McGuane, Cameron Brannagan; Billy Bodin, Matty Taylor, Josh Murphy.

Arsenal are unbeaten since their return to competitive football after the World Cup but will be looking for a better result than their 0-0 draw against Newcastle last week. Arteta's side will be hoping to secure their passage into the fourth round as they look to win their 15th FA Cup trophy.

League One Oxford United head into this massive FA Cup fixture with just one win in their last 5 league games. Karl Robinson's side sit 15th in League One and reached the third round after a 4-1 win against Exeter City, who they lost against in their most recent outing on New Year's Day.

Hello and welcome to the live commentary for this FA Cup third-round match between Oxford United and Arsenal from the Kassam Stadium.

Oxford United v Arsenal Live Commentary, 10/01/2023

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