3 standout players from Arsenal's FA Cup thrashing against Wigan

After the mid-week dissapointment of drawing 1-1 away to Brentford and allowing Manchester City opportunity to catch up, Arsenal needed to silence the naysayers and get back to winning ways.

Fortunately, the next opportunity would come against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, who are going through their own turmoil, languishing in 22nd place after sacking their manager Ryan Lowe after 11 months in charge.

Interim boss Glen Whelan had an uphill battle in trying to get a result at the Emirates, and Wigan's attempts to put a pin in Arsenal's FA Cup charge were ultimately futile, as the mighty Gunners' attack tore their poor defense to pieces in the first 30 minutes.

Picking the standouts proved no easy feat, with the 4-0 victory yielding a dazzling display of attacking talent in the first-half. Arteta was forced to play a more progressive midfield due to Riccardo Calafiori pulling up with an injury in the warm-up, leading to Bukayo Saka stepping into the midfield alongside Eze and Christian Norgaard.

The standout players from Arsenal's 4-0 thrashing of Wigan

1. Christian Norgaard

Due to Calafiori's unexpected injury prior to the match, Arsenal's midfield looked rather unusual today with Saka playing the creative midfield role and Eze moving slightly deeper. This incredibly attacking lineup meant it fell on the shoulders of Christian Norgaard to play the dirty, defensive duties in the midfield all on his own, with no one in the pivot beside him to fall back on.

The Dane excelled in his task, keeping the defense under lockdown allowing the electric Eze and Saka to push high up the pitch. He even contributed to the attacking threat, constantly searching for forward runs with balls over the top.

The brilliantly wafted balls over the Wigan defense eventually led to a stunning Gabriel Jesus goal, with Norgaard claiming an assist after the Brazilian beautifully dinked Wigan keeper Sam Tickle.

The £15 million signing once again proved his incredible utility to the squad, shifting into a centre-back role for the latter stages of the game, as Martin Zubimendi came on to take the role of midfield marionette.

2. Noni Madueke

There wasn't too much to be proud about in Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Brentford, but Noni Madueke's unrelenting tenacity and ability to find a goal is something fans can begin to count on. For the second game in a row, the Englishman found the net, scoring in the 10th minute whipping in Eze's incisive past first-time into the bottom left corner.

Madueke also played a pivotal role in the 3rd goal, running at the defense and driving into a dangerous area for Saka to set up a fortunate own goal.

Throughout the match, Madueke was taunting the defense with his lightning quick feet, sending the fullback into a panic. The combination play between both Arsenal wingers down the right hand side was enjoyable to watch, with Saka and Madueke combining constantly throughout the first half to knock the ball up the pitch and create threatening chances.

Perhaps we will see more of this dynamic duo down the right flank going forward, with Arsenal's dilemma of creating in front of goal potentially answered in the form of an unlikely partnership.

3. Eberechi Eze

The signing which drew so much attention and hopes in the summer, Eze has certainly had a tumultous beginning to his Arsenal career, from scoring a hat-trick against derby rivals Spurs, to being subbed off last match at half-time.

Today, we saw a midfield full of attacking threat, lethality and quick thinking; it was largely down to Eze. The Greenwich wizard was composed on the ball, sucking in opposing midfielders, before releasing it at the perfect time. Whenever he spotted a forward run, a scything ball was sent through to the attack, causing a charge at the goal.

Eze created the first goal in the match with a pass which cut through the middle of the pitch to find Madueke, who easily slotted it home. His second assist came just minutes later, noticing the forward run of Gabriel Martinelli sending a through ball into his path so that the Brazilian could score the second of the afternoon.

All that's left for Eze to do, is bring the usual flair filled perfromances we've seen at Crystal Palace and in cup competitions into the league matches. Surely then, Arsenal's ability to unlock defenses will be solved, and a world where the Gunners finally have their hands on the Premeir League trophy will be realised.