Arsenal are through to the fifth round of the FA Cup after a statement 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic.
Before the game, it was an enjoyable occasion for the Latics to take a break from League One action to face an away trip to the Premier League leaders.
The Emirates is quite the venue for travelling fans and players; however, Wigan star Joe Taylor had a different view of the opportunity.
Taylor had the chance to score in N5, and so nearly did, had it not been for Kepa Arrizabalaga’s superb save to deny the clear goalscoring opportunity.
The striker and his teammates left the Emirates goalless, on a day of mixed emotions for Wigan.
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Wigan’s Joe Taylor opens up about facing Arsenal at the Emirates
After the clash, Taylor spoke to the media about the result, where he shared what he really thinks of Arsenal as a team right now.
“It’s an FA Cup tie against arguably the best team in the World right now, and overall, we gave a good account of ourselves,” he told Wigan’s official website.
For players in lower leagues, the chance to play at grounds like the Emirates doesn’t come around too often, but Taylor wanted to share a common misconception about the opportunity.
“It’s nice to be out there at such a good stadium against good players, and it’s probably not as nice as you think,” he admitted.
“But the occasion was special,” he added, “it was nice to see so many Tics fans out there and supporting us.”
As Wigan conceded four goals in the first half, it was no surprise to hear Taylor say that playing in N5 isn’t as enjoyable as people think.
Still, the visitors did themselves proud with a much-improved second-half performance to keep Arsenal at bay.
What Premier League sides could Arsenal face in the FA Cup?
Wigan are out of the cup, but Arsenal progressed with ease, and could now face a tougher challenge in the fifth round.
If Brentford beat Macclesfield Town on Monday night, the Gunners will have a 66% chance of facing a Premier League team in the next round.
Who would you most like to face next in the FA Cup and who would you like Arsenal to avoid?
Big six rivals Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City remain in the cup, as do Wolves, Newcastle, Leeds, Fulham, Sunderland and West Ham.
Brentford will learn their fate after the draw is made, with the fifth round to be decided in the live draw at around 18:35 on Monday, 16th.
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