Oxford United 0–3 Arsenal

Second half goals from Mohamed Elneny and a brace from the lively Eddie Nketiah saw Arsenal power past a spirited Oxford United to reach the FA Cup fourth round.

On a chilly Oxfordshire Monday evening Mikel Arteta’s Gunners eventually powered to an emphatic victory over Karl Robinson’s League One battlers, with a stark scoreline that, given, the barren, hard-fought opening 45 minutes of this clash, perhaps not many would have predicted. 

A first half fuelled by effort and industry if not artistry, saw the teams reach the interval goalless. Unsurprisingly, given the normally formidable Gunners midfield of Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and the sublime Martin Odegaard were rested, in favour of the more prosaic Mohamed Elneny and Albert Lokonga as well as the lightweight frame of Fabio Vieira - even if Elneny and the Portugal star underlined the North Londoners strength in depth.

That said, for many, the highlight of a hard-fought opening 45 minutes had to be stand-in captain Rob Holding doing his very best homage to a Dutch master with a perfectly executed Cruyff turn that even Odegaard would have approved of. No wonder the mind wandered back to previous encounters between the teams.

With Oxford’s heyday in the mid 1980s combining with a particularly mediocre spell for the Gunners the U’s deservedly triumphed 3-0 in the final match of the 1985-86 campaign at the evocative, long-lost Manor Ground. A game that saw Jim Smith’s attractive vintage buzz with verve and vigour in a side that included Ray Houghton and John Aldridge, not to mention Northern Ireland’s 1982 World Cup member Billy Hamilton.

This correspondent can still recall being present after my father drove excited young reprobates in his trusty blue Ford Cortina to Oxford to watch the match behind the high-fenced away end and its crumbling terraces. Thirty-six years on the mind’s eye can still remember the home side’s chairman, the shameless union hater and pension stealer Robert Maxwell running on the pitch after the final whistle, complete with the Milk Cup that Smith’s side had lifted with panache when beating a moribund QPR side three weeks previously.  

With Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City waiting the victors in the next round, after their 4-0 evisceration of Graham Potter’s hapless Chelsea at the weekend, perhaps it was understandable if both sides preferred to focus on their league form. The U’s facing a trip to Highbury, Fleetwood’s version on Saturday, while Arteta’s Arsenal could be forgiven for already gearing up for what should be a momentous North London derby this Sunday.

Yet, as the temperatures dropped at this strange three-sided stadium that made you long for the quaint ramshackle nature of the old Manor Ground, the tempo rose as both sides realised the last thing they wanted was a draw, that would result in an unwanted replay in North London in ten day’s time. 11,538

The opening goal finally came in the 62nd minute when Elneny’s header met Vieira’s flighted free-kick into a crowded box to put the Gunners 1-0 ahead and finally breach such obdurate defending. Thus prompting unbridled celebrations as the team headed to the corner where the club’s vociferous travelling support was massed and the chant of ‘We’re going to Wembley’ was sung with glee.

The goal also showcased outstanding creativity from Vieira after his delivery for Elneny’s opener was excellent - allied with his pass for Nketiah's first to underline just what a talent the Portugal star can be.  

Pep’s City may object, but the Gunners are careering to an eagerly-awaited first match of the season again the Citizens, with the fourth-round trip sealed when Nketiah calmly rounded U’s keeper Eddie McGinty before slotting home to celebrate with gleeful Gooners to double the score and make it 2-0.

Shortly afterwards, the 23-year-old Lewisham-born striker – who Arteta has placed such faith in following Gabriel Jesus long-term injury – grabbed his second of the match and Arsenal’s third as the visitors sealed a deserved victory.