Kieran Tierney was among the top performers as Arsenal advance through to the semifinals of FA Cup, thanks to a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.
Arsenal relied on a late cameo from Dani Ceballos to secure a narrow 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the quarterfinal of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners were on the ascendancy in the first half, creating numerous opportunities while Chris Wilder’s men were mostly looking to contain the pressure. Arsenal’s efforts were paid off when Alexandre Lacazette won a penalty, with the subsequent spot-kick being converted by Nicolas Pepe in the 25th minute.
However, Sheffield United pushed forward in the second half. In fact, they were the better side overall after the restart but were often denied, largely due to poor positioning from their forwards. But, erroneous defending from the Arsenal defenders in the 87th minute saw David McGoldrick snatch an equaliser.
And just when the game was heading into extra time, a moment of magic from substitute Ceballos saw the game turn on its head. The Spaniard picked up the ball from Pepe inside the box, in what was a neat counter-attack and scored from a near-impossible angle to provide Arsenal with a late winner.
Here is how we rated the Arsenal players in their narrow win over the Blades.
Emiliano Martinez: 7/10
Emiliano Martinez continues to impress, in the absence of Bernd Leno. The Argentine made some crucial saves throughout the course of the game, particularly from a set-piece in the second half even though it was later ruled out due to offside. Another save late in the game was important in denying Sheffield complete an incredible turnaround.
Shkodran Mustafi: 6.5/10
From an individual level, Shkodran Mustafi performed rather well. His aerial and physical prowess was key in minimising the threat of Oliver McBurnie throughout the course of the game. However, the ex-Valencia star lacked proper defensive support from his teammates, especially in the second half.
David Luiz: 6/10
David Luiz enjoyed a rather solid first half. He looked comfortable in possession and provided the solidity Arsenal needed in order to keep Sheffield United quiet. However, the Brazilian picked up an injury and had to be subbed off early in the second half as Mikel Arteta’s misery continues.
Sead Kolasinac: 4/10
Kolasinac struggled against Sheffield United (Photo courtesy: AFP/Getty)
Kolasinac struggled against Sheffield United (Photo courtesy: AFP/Getty)
It certainly wasn’t the best of games for Sead Kolasinac. In fairness though, the decision to deploy the Bosnian in the back three was never a good decision from Arteta. And it was evident in his performance, as the left-back produced an awful clearance that hit the back of Mustafi, falling straight into the path of McGoldrick, who then bagged the equalizer.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles: 6.5/10
Filling in for Hector Bellerin, Ainsley Maitland-Niles performed well as usual, in the right wing-back role. He distributed the possession with quick passes and also had the capacity to carry the ball out from the back.
Granit Xhaka: 7.5/10
Arsenal's leader on the pitch (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Arsenal’s leader on the pitch (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Arsenal may have finally found their worthy leader, weirdly in the shape of Granit Xhaka. The Swiss international has gone through a massive transformation under Arteta and it was evident in his performance this afternoon.
Indeed, Xhaka played a key role in recovering balls in midfield. But, it was his crisp passing that kept things ticking while the ex-Gladbach star also dropped deep, providing support to the build-up play.
Joe Willock: 5/10
Not the most comprehensive display from the young Englishman, who struggled to make an impact in midfield. Joe Willock was largely seen floating possession around in midfield without any telling final ball.
Kieran Tierney: 8.5/10
Kieran Tierney was initially expected to feature in the backline. But, he eventually shifted into a more natural attacking position and partnered alongside Bukayo Saka on the left flank. And the Scot made quite an impact, playing quick one-touch passes and even making strong challenges.
However, what made Tierney such an effective player this afternoon was his dangerous runs down the flank as he whipped a number of crosses that provided a lot of supply for the Arsenal attackers. He also notably provided the pass to Lacazette that led to the penalty.
Nicolas Pepe: 7.5/10
Following a strong display against Southampton, Nicolas Pepe was brimming with confidence. The Ivorian often tried to spark things in the final third with his clever runs and pace. While it did lead to nothing, he scored the all-important opener by converting a penalty.
In the second half, however, Pepe’s influence started to fade as the winger barely had any involvement except for the counter-attack that led to the winner from Ceballos.
Nicolas Pépé's game by numbers vs. Sheffield United:
16 final third passes
7 penalty area touches
3 shots (2 on target)
1 chance created
1 goal
Alexandre Lacazette: 6.5/10
Filling in for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Lacazette looked positive right from the start. Especially with Eddie Nketiah making an impact, the Frenchman was desperate to impress the onlookers. And while he did make very little impact, his effort was certainly commendable.
Bukayo Saka: 8/10
Along with Tierney, Saka was one of the best performers for Arsenal against Sheffield United. The young Englishman showed excellent zest and fluidity, as he effortlessly drifted past defenders and found good passes. His positioning was also brilliant as him drifting into a central area allowed Tierney the space to work with on the left flank.
Moreover, it was Saka’s remarkable turn and pass that initiated the counter-attack leading to the late winner from Ceballos.
Substitutes
Rob Holding: 6/10
Rob Holding replaced the injured Luiz in the 54th minute. He had to cope with the full brunt of Sheffield United’s attacking firepower. But, he managed to keep his cool, although the performance wasn’t as convincing as the last game.
Dani Ceballos: 7/10
Came on for the ineffective Willock and it made all the difference. In truth, however, a brilliant finish to score the winner was the only notably involvement for the Spaniard, who was otherwise quite useless in the centre of the park.
Eddie Nketiah: 7/10
Replaced Lacazette and showed exactly what he is capable of. With Sheffield moving forward in search of a winner, Nketiah’s pace provided Arsenal with a major boost on the break. And it showed as the youngster played a key role in the build-up to the Ceballos goal.
Sokratis: N/A
Sokratis made his first appearance for Arsenal since the restart, replacing Pepe late in the game.
