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Arsenal logo
FA Cup | Fourth Round
Jan 30, 2016 at 3pm UK
 
Burnley logo

2-1

Chambers (19'), Sanchez (53')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Vokes (30')

Live Commentary: Arsenal 2-1 Burnley - as it happened

Relive the entertaining FA Cup fourth-round tie between Arsenal and Burnley, which the Gunners won 2-1 thanks to goals from Calum Chambers and Alexis Sanchez.
2

FA Cup holders Arsenal entered today's fourth-round tie against Championship high-flyers Burnley on 13-match winning streak in the competition having won it the last two years.

The Gunners extended that run to 14 with a 2-1 win over the Clarets as Calum Chambers and Alexis Sanchez scored either side of Sam Vokes's equaliser at the Emirates.

Relive it all with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.


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Afternoon all! It's FA Cup fourth-round weekend and here we'll be focussing on the Emirates as holders Arsenal welcome Championship high-flyers Burnley.

The hosts understandably start the game as heavy favourites given that they play a league above the Clarets, but Arsene Wenger's side have been unstoppable the last two years in the FA Cup.

Since losing to Blackburn Rovers in February 2013, Arsenal have won 13 straight FA Cup games and to become the most successful team in the competition's history with 12 trophies.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Gunners' run is that they have not needed a replay in any of the 13 straight wins, only needing penalties once in the 2014 semi-final against Wigan Athletic.

Arsenal are here in the last 32 thanks to a 3-1 win over Sunderland earlier this month and that was part of a five-match unbeaten run which came to an end last weekend when Chelsea came to the Emirates and eked out a 1-0 win that was certainly helped by an early red card to Per Mertesacker, who misses out through suspension today.

That defeat saw Wenger's men miss out on the chance to return to the top of the Premier League, but they are still handily placed just three points adrift of surprise leaders Leicester City and only behind Manchester City on goal difference.

As for Burnley, Sean Dyche's side will certainly pose a threat tonight as they enter the match on a six-game unbeaten run, winning five of those games. Like Arsenal, they are third in their league, four points behind the automatic-promotion places.

The Clarets had gone out at the first hurdle in the third round four years in a row before their 2-1 win at Middlesbrough, one of the two teams above them in the Championship, earlier this month.

Last year, when they were a Premier League team remember, they held Arsenal's North London rivals Spurs to a 1-1 draw at home before losing the replay 4-2 at White Hart Lane.

It's a long time since Burnley last had a deep run in the competition, but they are one-time winners of the competition having beat Liverpool 1-0 in their first appearance in the final in 1914.

Since then, they have reached the final twice, losing 1-0 to Charlton Athletic in extra time in 1947 and going down 3-1 to Spurs in 1962.

Right then, time for some team news from the Emirates...

ARSENAL XI: Ospina; Chambers, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs; Coquelin, Elneny; Iwobi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Alexis; Giroud
Subs: Cech, Monreal, Bellerin, Arteta, Rosicky, Campbell, Walcott

No holding back from Arsene! Alexis Sanchez and Olivier Giroud start, while in midfield there is a debut for Mohamed Elneny. The other piece of good news is that Francis Coquelin returns for his first appearance since November.

Arsenal substitute Mohamed Elneny watches on at the Britannia Stadium on January 17, 2016© Getty Images

The Czech midfielder is back as well!


BURNLEY XI: Heaton; Darikwa, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Jones, Ulvestad, Arfield; Vokes, Gray
Subs: Robinson, Duff, Kightly, Taylor, Lowton, Barton, Hennings

Just the one change made by Sean Dyche and it comes in midfield as Fredrik Ulvestad takes Joey Barton's place. I'm sure the latter would have wanted to play on the big stage at the Emirates, but he only makes the bench.

One player to definitely look out for if you're not familiar with Burnley's team is striker Andre Gray, who was not in the Premier League with the Clarets last term. Dyche signed him from Brentford for a few million and he's justified the price tag with 17 league goals already this season. That's two more than anyone else in the Championship.

Andre Gray of Burnley during the Sky Bet Championship match between Bristol City and Burnley at Ashton Gate on August 29, 2015 in Bristol, England.© Getty Images

Arsenal have won their last five FA Cup ties against Burnley, scoring 16 and conceding just once. The one goal Burnley scored was in their biggest FA Cup loss since 1896 (Burnley 1-7 Arsenal, in 1937). The Gunners have also lost just one of their 40 FA Cup games against lower league opposition under Arsene Wenger's management (W31 L1 D8).

PREDICTION: You would expect that trend to continue today and I'm certainly siding with the Gunners. Burnley should cause some problems, but I'm backing the hosts to win 3-1.

KICKOFF! The Gunners get us underway. Burnley in their yellow and claret away kit, by the way.

CLOSE! Burnley, who made Arsenal switch sides at kickoff, are the first to threaten as Vokes nods down for Gray, who takes a touch before shooting a yard or so wide on the turn.

SHOT! Now it's Arsenal's turn to have a go, with Oxlade-Chamberlain firing comfortably over after a sharp turn of pace opened up a bit of space 20 yards out.

Gabriel, in for the suspended Mertesacker today, almost gifts Gray a great chance by slipping under pressure, but he quickly recovers and takes the ball away from the Championship's top marksman.

SHOT! Alexis looked really bright when he made his return after almost two months out against Chelsea last weekend and he's just gone close for the first time today, cutting in from the left and firing a yard or so wide of the near post.

Debutant Elneny has looked lively early on as well and he's just had his first shot as an Arsenal player, drilling low and hard but straight at Heaton.

In case you've missed it, two of Arsenal's main rivals for a third straight FA Cup success, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, have already booked their place in the fifth round. United won 3-1 at Derby last night, while Spurs put four past Colchester in today's lunchtime kickoff.

CHANCE! What a chance for Gray! He outmuscles Koscielny to bear down on goal and although Vokes is in support to his left, Gray goes for goal and is denied by Ospina.

Better from Arsenal and Gibbs in particular as he rolls Boyd on the touchline before getting to the byline and crossing into the six-yard box. Burnley half-clear the ball to Chambers, whose fierce drive is well-blocked by Keane.

Third corner for the home side as Oxlade-Chamberlain's shot takes a deflection, but the resulting set piece comes to nothing. End-to-end start to this one!

The 'Ginger Mourinho' will be happy with what he's seen so far


GOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 BURNLEY (CALUM CHAMBERS)

What a goal! Patient Arsenal build-up on the edge of the box as Sanchez waits and waits before poking the ball through a Burnley player's legs to Chambers, who picks out the far corner with a glorious first-time, outside-of-the-boot strike. Sublime!

He might not score a better goal in the rest of his career!


Alexis threads the ball into Giroud, but his shot is blocked. The Frenchman has an excellent record in recent years in the FA Cup, netting nine goals in his last 13 appearances in the competition.

UPDATE: United and Spurs already through and it looks like Man City will be joining them. Manuel Pellegrini's side are already 2-0 up at Aston Villa. Kelechi Iheanacho with both.

By the way, if you want to follow all of the action from the FA Cup and more, then I strongly advise you to open this link in a new tab. Give my colleague Barney Corkhill a bit more company, he's lonely 😢

Alexis surges forward and into the box before his goalbound shot is blocked. Burnley started well in the first 10 minutes or so, but Arsenal are well on top now. A second goal would make it very difficult for the visitors.

GOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 BURNLEY (SAM VOKES)

Well well! Burnley were under the cosh but now they're level as Darikwa crosses to the back post from the right and there's Vokes to thunder home a header into the corner. No chance for Ospina, who maybe could have come and claimed that cross.

Another nervy moment from Ospina as he comes to claim a cross and fumbles it briefly before snaffling in at the second attempt. Arsenal on the rocks a bit here!

CHANCE! Arsenal go close to restoring their lead as Oxlade-Chamberlain stabs wide on the stretch at the back post.

Game on!


Plenty was expected of Gray today given how well he has played in the Championship this season and he's not disappointing! He missed that really good early chance, but aside from that he has caused Arsenal all sorts of problems.

SHOT! Oxlade-Chamberlain can't beat Heaton from 20 yards after Keane did really well to head Chambers's cross out.

No idea how Sanchez has kept possession here. The ball sticks to the Chilean's foot like glue and although Burnley get back, his cross to Elneny is headed out for a corner.

Arsenal on top as we enter added time. They've just won a seventh corner.

HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-1 BURNLEY

Calum Chambers of Arsenal celebrates scoring his team's first goal against Burnley at the Emirates Stadium on January 30, 2016© Getty Images

We have a cup tie on our hands! Arsenal were better for large parts of that half, but Burnley had their moments and go into the break level with the Gunners. We'll be back soon for the second 45, see you shortly.

Forty-five minutes left at the Emirates then and defending champions Arsenal have a tough task on their hands if they are to reach the last 16. No changes at half time from either manager at the break.

KICKOFF! The Clarets get us back underway.

Moments after Alexis failed to find Giroud, Burnley threaten for the first time in the second half as Arfield shoots straight at Ospina under pressure from Gabriel.

GOAL! ARSENAL 2-1 BURNLEY (ALEXIS SANCHEZ)

The Gunners are back in front as Alexis scores his first domestic goal since October, sweeping the ball home from Iwobi's cross after a swift counter-attack from Wenger's side.

Arsenal on the hunt for a third here as Iwobi, who has been one of Arsenal's better players today, has his shot deflected wide.

OFF THE LINE! From the resulting corner, the Gunners almost score a third as Burnley just about clear from under their own crossbar.



And here's another stat from @OptaJoe on Twitter: Since the start of last season, only Saido Berahino (7) has scored more FA Cup goals than Alexis Sanchez (5).

Arsenal have done well since retaking the lead and they look much more like the side who will score the game's fourth goal. Remember my pre-match prediction? I said 3-1 to the hosts and that's definitely in play!

SHOT! Elneny is keen to impress and he's just gone close with a dipping shot from outside the box that Heaton held fairly comfortably.

Burnley threaten for the first time in a while as Boyd finds space down the left before crossing low into the six-yard box where Koscielny clears with Vokes lurking close by.

BOOKING! Arfield is the first player cautioned for a cynical foul as Sanchez looked to break away.

CHANCE! Great chance for Elneny to cap his debut with a goal as Gibbs tees the ball up for the Egyptian, who leans back and balloons it over.

BURNLEY SUB: Here comes Barton, taking Jones's place in midfield.

ARSENAL SUBS: Wenger makes his first changes and one of them sees Rosicky make his first appearance of the season. He takes Iwobi's place, while in central midfield it's Arteta for Coquelin.

SAVE! Sanchez so close to a spectacular third as his dipping free kick is superbly saved by the sprawling Heaton. Fine save!

BOOKING! Clever booking this as Koscielny clearly uses his arm to stop a through-ball reaching Gray, who had got the wrong side of the Frenchman.

BURNLEY SUB: Clarets goalscorer Vokes is off, with Rouwen Hennings on to inject some life into the Burnley attack.

A little update that will interest Arsenal fans - loanee striker Chuba Akpom has netted a hat-trick for Hull against Bury.

Back to the Emirates and Burnley have a corner. The ball breaks to Arfield but his snapshot goes way over the top.

ARSENAL SUB: Alexis's afternoon is over as Theo Walcott comes on for the final quarter of an hour. Burnley will be relieved to see the back of the Chilean.

BURNLEY SUB: That's all six changes made in the match as Kightly takes Boyd's place for the visitors.

Gorgeous passing football from the home side as they cut Burnley open before Oxlade-Chamberlain lashes over the top. The Clarets haven't really been in this second half and although they're only a goal down, it's hard to see them creating another chance.

Burnley have a shooting chance, but Kightly's effort is well over the top. Was that their last chance?

CHANCE! No! Barton clips the ball over the top for Gray and even though he is under pressure from Gabriel, it's a decent chance and he shoots wide of the near post.

FOUR minutes added on. Burnley have had a couple of moments and it could be a nervy finish for Arsenal.

Elneny goes close once more with a first-time shot that just has too much swerve and beats the far post. He has impressed on his Gunners debut.

CHANCE! Burnley's free kick is cleared and Arsenal charge forward on the counter-attack. Walcott is through on goal but Heaton nicks the ball away as the England man looked to go around him. Great keeping!

FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 2-1 BURNLEY

Make that 14 straight FA Cup wins for Arsenal since they were knocked out in 2013 by Blackburn. The Gunners are on course for a third straight success and 13th overall in the famous old competition!

Burnley put up a good fight at times today, but Arsenal definitely deserved to win. I'll leave you with our match report and wish you a happy rest of the weekend!

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