Arsenal may not have turned on the style in the FA Cup fifth round with their 2-0 win over National League Sutton United on Monday night, however, the result can be a big boost for the club in a tough spot.
The fallout surrounding manager Arsene Wenger in the wake of recent results against Watford, Chelsea and Bayern Munich has been louder and more ferocious than the club has ever seen, with his future at the club under more scrutiny than ever before.
The Gunners recent form made the tie, which should have been a mere formality, a much bigger test than it should have ever been.
However, after a slow start the changed side that Wenger put out, including starts for Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Rob Holding and Lucas Perez, pushed on and did what they had to do, winning comfortably in the end.
It was summer signing Perez, who arrived for £17m from Deportivo La Coruna at the start of the season, who got things going when his cross-come-shot in the first half found the far corner with Sutton ‘keeper Ross Worner unsighted by Theo Walcott’s attempt on the ball.
The Gunners winger, who just missed his chance across Perez’s cross, found the net in the second half to tie things up when he hit home from Nacho Monreal’s deflected cross, scoring his 100th goal for the club since moving from Southampton in 2006.
The performance may not have been as comfortable as Wenger was hoping, the Frenchman noted after the game that the hosts pounced on any mistake from his side, however, it was just what they needed after weeks of turmoil.
A win over a non-league side will not do a lot in the grand scheme of things, however, in booking their quarter-final clash with Lincoln City at The Emirates, a major hiccup has been avoided. Viewing figures for the infamous Arsenal Fan TV would have been in the millions should Paul Doswell’s side have pulled off a giant killing at Gander Green Lane.
Wenger and his players can now go into their two-week break from competitive fixtures in a more positive frame of mind having at least chalked up a win that means progression towards winning their third FA Cup in four years after humiliation against Bayern in the Champions League last week.
The break, which has come about due to Southampton’s involvement in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, must now be used to full advantage before the Gunners take on Liverpool in the Premier League in March. If you are betting on any matches when the Premier League returns to action you can check the latest betting odds for premier league matches before placing your wager.
The win over Sutton may not have done much to change the opinion of any fans, however, it may just have been the small boost that these players need to put the last few weeks behind them.