Arsenal 2-0 Spurs: Cazorla & Rosicky Inflict FA Cup Exit On Tottenham

Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky struck for Arsenal as Arsene Wenger won another North London derby against Tottenham in the FA Cup third round. Opposite number Tim Sherwood lost his first game since getting the job of Hotspur head coach permanently here. Arsenal survived an early scare when Christian Eriksen got in behind the home defence after Laurent Koscielny's error. Lukasz Fabianski turned the shot behind from a tight angle on eight minutes. Theo Walcott, leading the Gunners line, then forced Spurs stopper Hugo Lloris to tup his effort on the counter behind. Moments later, Vlad Chiriches deflected another attempt by the Arsenal forward off target. Serge Gnabry lashed over as the hosts had a strong spell. Lloris saved with his legs from Walcott when he got in behind the Tottenham defence again on 25 minutes. Wenger's side finally broke through on half an hour when Gnabry countered and slipped in the unmarked Cazorla, who fired across the keeper.

Walcott lashed over when Danny Rose could only clear a Cazorla corner to the Gunners attacker. Roberto Soldado curled wide late in the first half as Spurs went in behind. Wenger made a change at half time, hauling off club captain Thomas Vermaelen for Per Mertesacker. Emmanuel Adebayor, roundly booed by the Emirates crowd for every touch, lost his footing at the vital moment with a sight of the Gunners goal ten minutes into the second half. Good work from Aaron Lennon made this opening. Walcott then rounded Lloris, but shot into the side-netting as Arsenal searched for a second. They found it just after the hour mark when Rosicky caught Rose in possession and raced into the clear to clip over the keeper.

Fabianski held on to a powerful, 20-yard Mousa Dembele attempt with a quarter of the game to go. Chiriches almost gifted Walcott a second and the Gunners a third goal as Hotspur's shambolic defensive display continued. Victory and progression in this competition came at a price for Arsenal, however, as Walcott was stretchered off late on. Lloris kept sub Mesut Ozil out as the tie entered stoppage time, so the hosts declared on a comfortable two-goal cushion. Spurs have crashed out of both domestic cups under Sherwood, but defeat here still leaves them in the Europa League and the race for a top four spot.