Southampton patiently work the ball around deep down the right flank as they try to find a late consolation goal, but they're unable to do so quickly enough and the referee eventually brings the game to an end with the final whistle, resulting in a few boos ringing around the half-empty stadium.
90'
The fourth official has indicated that there will be two minutes of added time.
89'
Great save by Lewis! A simple ball over the top of the Southampton defence finds Perez all alone in front of goal, but the Spaniard's strike is well smothered by Lewis and fails to result in a sixth goal for Arsenal.
88'
Tadic cuts inside from the right wing before whipping a cross into the Arsenal penalty area, but, for the third time since coming off the substitutes' bench, he sends it straight into the hands of Ospina in the middle of the box.
86'
Chance for Sims! The youngster, who has arguably been one of Southampton's best players this evening, does well to get a shot away from the edge of the penalty area, but it's well held on to by Ospina at the far post.
84'
T. Walcott has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by A. Sánchez.
GOAL! Walcott has his hat-trick! A half-hearted Southampton attack comes to an end, and Arsenal immediately hit them on a quick counter. Perez blasts the ball down the pitch and into the path of Sanchez, who holds the ball up well on the edge of the box before teeing up Walcott, who is then easily able to slot a shot past the leg of Lewis.
Sanchez has been excellent since coming on to the pitch, and once again he excelled in front of goal. The Southampton defence haven't been able to deal with him, as was evident in the build-up to yet another goal for the visitors.
Assist Alexis Alejandro Sánchez Sánchez
82'
There's a bit of a coming together between Perez and Martina as the Spaniard tries to break down the left flank on a marauding run forward, but he's blocked off by what seems to be the shoulder of the full-back, resulting in an angry exchange between the two.
80'
They may be 4-0 up, but Arsenal are still pushing for more goals. Sanchez looks hungry to add one of his own, and the Chilean has been brilliant since coming off the substitutes' bench to help his side.
78'
Southampton keep enjoying a good spell of possession as they continue to put Arsenal under some late pressure, but the visitors have enough bodies back to deal with the danger before Martina can get a shot away.
76'
Gibbs is caught in possession midway inside the Arsenal half of the pitch, allowing Southampton to push forward once again. Hojbjerg breaks into the penalty area before trying to fire his side back into the game, but, luckily for Gibbs, there are plenty of defenders there to stop the Dane from doing so.
Minute
Description
74'
Sims breaks down the left flank on a great run before doing well to dart into the Arsenal penalty area, but, not for the first time this evening, Maitland-Niles is there to poke the ball out for a corner. It initially fails to result in a chance on goal before McQueen is able to get a shot away, but it's unable to find its way through the sea of yellow shirts camped in front of him.
72'
A. Iwobi enters the game and replaces J. Reine-Adélaïde.
Reine-Adelaide receives a round of applause from the away fans as he's replaced by Alex Iwobi in Arsenal's second change of the night.
71'
After another Arsenal attacking move comes to an end, Southampton push forward on a counter-attack of their own. Tadic weaves his way through the middle of the pitch before unleashing a shot from 25 yards out, but it's comfortably closed down and is deflected out for a corner that fails to result in a chance on goal for the home side.
69'
T. Walcott has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by A. Sánchez.
That was a great piece of play from Sanchez, who has looked electric since coming on. However, the Southampton defence were poor once again and really should have done better to track his run.
GOAL! It's 4-0! Bellerin breaks down the right wing on a marauding run before teeing up Sanchez. The Chilean makes a great dart into the Southampton penalty area and picks up the ball near to the byline, and he then spins to find Walcott. The forward is in a pocket of space in the middle of the box and quickly shoots, and his strike is easily able to find the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
68'
Almost another mix-up by Mustafi and Ospina! The defender pokes a pass back to the Colombian, who wasn't at all ready for the ball. Redmond darts forward as he tries to latch on to the loose ball, but the goalkeeper is just about able to blast it away before he's able to do so.
67'
Southampton enjoy a good spell of possession as they work the ball around nicely midway inside the Arsenal half of the pitch, but Clasie brings a promising attacking move to a disappointing end with a wild strike that flies several yards over the top of the crossbar.
65'
A. Sánchez enters the game and replaces D. Welbeck.
N. Redmond enters the game and replaces S. Long.
Meanwhile, Welbeck receives a rousing round of applause from the Arsenal fans as he makes way for Alexis Sanchez.
And the second is Nathan Redmond, who replaces Long.
64'
D. Tadić enters the game and replaces L. Isgrove.
Southampton have made a double substitution as they try to find a way back into the game. The first player to come on is Dusan Tadic, who takes the place of Isgrove.
63'
Perez picks out Gibbs, who then cuts inside from the left flank and tries to pick out Walcott. The full-back's pass is a wayward one, however, with Walcott running one way whilst the ball rolls another.
61'
Southampton patiently pass the ball around inside the Arsenal half of the pitch before Hojbjerg darts towards the penalty area. He does well to beat two players before trying to tee up Long, but Gibbs is there to cut out the danger with a great interception.
59'
Almost a costly mistake by Mustafi! A lofted pass is flung up towards the Arsenal penalty area and almost finds Sims after a slight mix-up between Mustafi and Ospina, but the German is just about able to blast the ball away before the Southampton teenager can get a shot away.
57'
Sims darts down the left wing on a great run before penetrating the Arsenal penalty area, but just as he tries to fire a cross towards a team-mate, Maitland-Niles sticks out a foot to deflect the ball out of play for a corner.
55'
Almost an opportunity for Walcott! A half-hearted Southampton attack breaks down, allowing Arsenal to hit them on a quick counter. Oxlade-Chamberlain fires yet another great pass over the top of the hosts' penalty area and into the path of Walcott, but the latter is unable to pick out Perez and is eventually dispossessed by Gardos as he tries to get the ball under control.
53'
Chance for Bellerin! Welbeck weaves his way through the middle of the pitch on a great run before teeing up Perez. The Spaniard heads into the right-hand side of the penalty area and holds the ball up well spinning and finding Bellerin, but the full-back's shot is easily smothered by Lewis.
52'
Vital block by McQueen! Oxlade-Chamberlain darts into the Southampton half of the pitch before trying to thread a clever pass into the path of Walcott, but McQueen does well to stick out a foot to stop it from finding the forward inside the penalty area.
50'
Welbeck cuts inside from the left wing before unleashing a shot from 20 yards out, but it's closed down by Martina and deflected out for a corner. Oxlade-Chamberlain steps up and whips a cross into the middle of the box, but Maitland-Niles' thumping strike from the edge of the box ends up sailing over the top of the crossbar.
48'
Reine-Adelaide skips past Hojbjerg before being caught by an outstretched leg from the Dane, resulting in a free-kick for Arsenal. It's sent short and worked forward quickly, but Southampton have plenty of bodies back to deal with the danger.
46'
And we're underway once again!
45' +2
What an opportunity for Sims! Gibbs is caught sleeping on the ball on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area, allowing Martina to dispossess him before setting up Sims. The youngster's first touch is poor, however, and he ends up poking the ball away from him before Walcott deals with the danger.
45'
The fourth official has indicated that there will be two minutes of added time.
44'
Welbeck brings an end to another Southampton attacking move before kick-starting a quick counter-attack, but Bellerin is unable to move the ball on to Perez and the latter ends up losing out to a good tackle from Clasie.
43'
Southampton continue enjoying a good spell of possession inside the Arsenal half of the pitch before Hojbjerg picks out Sims inside the penalty area. The youngster is in a great position and quickly tries to tee up Long, but Maitland-Niles is there to dispossess him with an excellent tackle at the near post.
41'
Ospina received an accidental elbow to the head as he beat Long in the air, and it's left him looking in discomfort on the floor. However, after receiving medical treatment for a few moments, he's able to get back to his feet and the game gets underway once again.
40'
Long goes close! Southampton win back possession in the middle of the pitch before Hojbjerg charges down the right flank. He gets himself into a great position and swings a cross into the middle of the box, but Ospina is there to pluck the ball out of the air before it can find the head of Long.
39'
Walcott cuts inside from the right wing and tries to dart into the penalty area as Arsenal search for yet more goals, but this time McQueen is able to keep the forward at bay and dispossesses him on the edge of the box.
37'
Southampton push forward straight from the restart as they desperately try to find a way back into the game. They do well to win themselves a corner that is cleared only as far as Jordy Clasie, but the Dutchman's follow-up shot from 30 yards out is poor and misses its intended target by several yards.
35'
T. Walcott has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by D. Welbeck.
Once again, Welbeck was able to skip into the penalty area far too easily. Southampton have really struggled to deal with his runs, and it was both McQueen and Stephens who were most at fault for the visitors' latest goal.
GOAL! Arsenal are running riot! The Southampton defence are all over the place as they lose the ball over on the right wing. Arsenal break forward quickly before Perez tees up Welbeck once again, and the striker is then able to set up Walcott with a cross that is easily poked into the back of the net from close range.
34'
Reine-Adelaide looks excellent on the ball as he weaves his way forward. He then spins and finds Gibbs, who fires a lofted pass into the penalty area and finds Walcott, but Stephens is there to dispossess the forward at the vital moment.
32'
Hojbjerg goes close! The Dane steps up and curls a strike over the Arsenal wall and towards the top right-hand corner of the net, but it doesn't have quite enough curl on it and it ends up flying into the side-netting.
31'
Arsenal are sloppy in possession and allow Southampton to break forward quickly. Sims does well to dart towards the penalty area before firing a deflected strike over to Long, who is barged into by Kieran Gibbs and wins the home side a free-kick in a very dangerous position just a yard or so outside of the box.
30'
Mustafi almost makes it 3-0! The throw-in is sent short to Perez, who is then clumsily fouled by McQueen. The resulting free-kick is whipped into the heart of the box and finds Mustafi all alone in front of goal, but he's unable to make decent contact with the ball and sends his close-range header wide of the goal. He really should have buried that!
29'
A lovely chipped pass forward from Maitland-Niles flies over McQueen and finds Bellerin, but the Spaniard's low cross into the middle of the penalty area fails to find a team-mate and is blasted out for a throw-in by Stephens.
27'
The resulting corner is whipped towards the near post and finds Lloyd Isgrove in a dangerous position, but the youngster is unable to make decent contact with the ball and ends up shinning a shot wide of the far post.
26'
Great strike by Long! Martina breaks down the right wing before firing a brilliant bouncing pass into the path of Long. The striker skips past Holding and then tries to beat Ospina, but his thumping half-volley is well saved by a diving stop from the Arsenal goalkeeper.
24'
Almost a costly mistake by David Ospina! The goalkeeper comes out too far in an attempt to deal with a loose ball, and he's caught in no man's land on the left-hand side of the Arsenal penalty area. Sims spins and fires a cross into the middle of the box that is deflected out to Hojbjerg, and the Danish striker then unleashes a thumping strike that flies just a yard or so over the top of the crossbar.
22'
D. Welbeck has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by A. Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The Southampton defence haven't looked entirely comfortable so far, and it was on show during the build-up to that goal. Gardos was caught out of position whilst Stephens didn't do well enough to try and stop Welbeck's run.
GOAL! It's 2-0 to Arsenal! Oxlade-Chamberlain receives possession on the halfway line and immediately fires a brilliant lofted pass over the top of the Southampton defence and into the path of Welbeck. The striker skips past Stephens far too easily before bringing the ball down with a wonderful touch, and he then slots a lovely shot through the legs of Lewis.
21'
Florin Gardos, who has looked rusty on his return to the starting line-up, commits a third mistake of the game and gifts Walcott with a chance to break towards the penalty area, but he's just about able to dart back and make amends for his error with a well-timed sliding interception.
19'
Mustafi picks up the ball on the halfway line and immediately chips a lofted pass up towards the edge of the Southampton box, where Walcott is waiting. The winger sticks out a foot in an attempt to make contact with the ball, but he's unable to do so and the hosts just about manage to deal with the danger.
17'
Arsenal continue patiently passing the ball around as they keep putting the home side under plenty of pressure. Reine-Adelaide picks up possession in a pocket of space before charging forward, but he's quickly closed down by Josh Sims and loses out to the Southampton midfielder.
15'
D. Welbeck has scored a goal for Arsenal! Assist by Lucas Pérez.
Perez did wonderfully well to pick out Welbeck with his clever pass, but the Southampton defence will be frustrated at how static they were in the build-up to the goal.
GOAL! Wonderful play by Arsenal! Ashley Maitland-Niles breaks forward before picking out Perez with a deft pass up to the edge of the Southampton penalty area. With his back to goal, the Spaniard cleverly flicks the ball round the corner and into the path of Welbeck, who easily beats both Jack Stephens and Martina before chipping a delightful shot into the back of the net.
14'
Chance for Arsenal! Bellerin is easily able to skip down the right flank before firing a low cross into the middle of the Southampton. It's poorly hit by the Spaniard, however, resulting in the ball rolling into the hands of Lewis before it can find Perez in front of goal.
12'
Hojbjerg slips and loses the ball in the middle of the pitch, allowing Arsenal to counter quickly once again. They move the ball forward well before Walcott spins and tries to find Bellerin, but the two aren't on the same wavelength and his chipped pass bounces out for a goal-kick.
10'
Vital block by Shkhodran Mustafi! Cuco Martina flies down the right wing on an excellent run before swinging a cross into the heart of the Arsenal penalty area and towards Shane Long, but just as it looks as if the striker is going to make contact with the ball, Mustafi dives in the way to stop him from doing so.
8'
Reine-Adelaide wins back possession for Arsenal with a great tackle before ploughing forward. He heads towards the Southampton penalty area and then tees up Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose long-range strike fails to test Lewis and instead bounces comfortably wide of the far post.
7'
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is dispossessed after falling asleep on the ball, allowing Arsenal to counter quickly. They initially do so well through Danny Welbeck, who had stolen the ball from the Dane, but he's unable to pick out a team-mate and gifts possession back to the home side.
6'
Bellerin and Walcott, who have both started well, link up well once again before the latter tries to skip round Sam McQueen, but just as he's about to, the linesman's flag is raised for offside and brings an end to a promising attacking move.
4'
The corner initially fails to result in a chance on goal before Holding wins Arsenal another corner, this time on the right flank. It's whipped in by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and eventually finds Lucas Perez, who fizzes a dangerous pass across the face of goal that misses Walcott by the narrowest of margins.
3'
Early chance for Jeff Reine-Adelaide! Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott link up brilliantly deep down the right wing before the latter spins and picks out Reine-Adelaide, but the youngster's quick shot is closed down well and deflected out for a first corner of the game.
2'
Arsenal patiently work the ball around inside their own half of the pitch before Rob Holding tries to pick out a team-mate with a thumping lofted pass towards the penalty area, but it's overhit by the defender and sails straight into the hands of Harry Lewis.
1'
And we're off! Southampton get us underway, attacking from right to left.
Southampton will be certainly hoping that this afternoon’s clash isn’t as close and hard-fought as both of the games they had to endure against Norwich City in the last round. After being held to a 2-2 draw in the first meeting between the two sides, the Saints narrowly beat their Championship opponents thanks to a last-minute goal scored by Shane Long, who went on to fire in another late winner against Liverpool on Wednesday.
After suffering a disappointing new year period, Southampton head into today’s big cup tie full of confidence thanks to their third consecutive victory. Another impressive performance against Liverpool saw the Hampshire side win 1-0 to book their place in the final of the EFL Cup, and they’ll be looking to repeat that feat with a similar performance today.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live text commentary of today’s FA Cup fourth round clash between Southampton and Arsenal at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Arsenal are unbeaten in their previous six games, with all of their previous three ending in victories, but they were made to work extremely hard by Burnley on Sunday and only just managed to leave with all three points thanks to a 98th-minute Alexis Sanchez penalty. They also struggled for large sections of the game against Preston North End in the third round, with their second-tier opposition finally being beaten by a last-minute Olivier Giroud winner.
20 points currently separate the two sides in the Premier League, but Southampton have got the better of Arsenal in recent years, with the most recent meeting between them ending in a 2-0 win for the Saints. They also enjoy an excellent record at St. Mary’s, where they have won both of the last two games against the Gunners and haven’t lost to the North London side on home soil since December 2003.
Arsenal have to face their opponents today without Arsene Wenger on the touchline after the Frenchman received a four-game ban earlier this week. The manager was also given a £25,000 fine for verbally abusing and pushing the fourth official in his side's win against Burnley last weekend.
Arsenal substitutes: Martinez, Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Monreal, Sanchez, Iwobi.
Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Bellerin, Mustafi, Holding, Gibbs; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Maitland-Niles; Walcott, Reine-Adelaide, Perez; Welbeck.
There’s just over 15 minutes left to go until kick-off, so let’s have a look at how the two teams will be lining up this afternoon…
Claude Puel has decided to make 10 changes to the Southampton side that started the victory against Liverpool during the week, with only Jack Stephens retaining his place in a heavily-altered line-up that includes several youngsters.
Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has also made 10 alterations to the team that featured in their last outing, with everyone but Shkodran Mustafi making way for a combination of youngsters and fringe players. There’s a first start since last March for Danny Welbeck, whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Jeff Reine-Adelaide have also been handed rare appearances.
The two sides are making their way out onto the pitch, with just a few minutes to go until kick-off.
HALF-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-3 ARSENAL
So far, so good for Arsenal, who head into the half-time break with a comfortable three-goal lead that, based on that first-half performance, should easily see them into the next round of the competition. Southampton have been all over the place at the back, with their inexperienced defence failing to deal with Perez, Walcott and, in particular, Welbeck. The latter has been excellent thus far, with his two goals leaving young Lewis with no chance whatsoever.
The two teams are making their way back out on to the pitch ahead of the start of the second half. Neither side have made any substitutions during the half-time break.
FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-5 ARSENAL
Claude Puel's decision to leave several of his best players out of the squad was obviously due to Tuesday's game against Swansea City, but it was a choice that backfired with terrible consequences. Arsenal ran riot all over the pitch from start to finish, with the hosts' defence constantly failing to deal with their opponents. Welbeck, Walcott and, later, Sanchez were in all excellent form, and time and time again the Saints were completely clueless as to how to deal with their pace and skill.
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