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Ben White (Tomiyasu 81’) N/A – A 10-minute runout for the defender; Marquinhos (Vieira 82’) N/A – No chance to make an impact. Getty

OXFORD UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: Edward McGinty 7 – Showed good composure to cling onto Tomiyasu’s fizzed low cross early on. That will have settled any nerves, and he gave a good account of himself thereafter despite the scoreline. AFP

Djavan Anderson 7 – Presented the visitors with an opening when he misjudged a ball over the top that was collected by Vieira, but he later showed excellent composure to keep tabs on Martinelli’s driving run and produce a perfectly-timed challenge inside his own box. Getty

Elliott Moore 7 – Made things difficult for the Arsenal frontline in a disciplined display. Gave up absolutely nothing to Nketiah in the first half, but perhaps got away with one when Lokonga’s strike struck his arm on the slide. Played Nketiah’s super run onside for 2-0. AP

Sam Long 7 – Like Moore, he was a rock in the first-half as the men in yellow had the Gunners rattled, but there’s only so much you can do when the opposing striker is in that kind of ruthless form. Getty

Ciaron Brown 7 – The full-back was given a let off when Saka was adjudged to have nudged him to the ground having raced in behind. Asked a question when his inviting cross was well-cleared by Gabriel but saw yellow for fouling Nketiah then Vieira. Getty

Lewis Bate 7 – The on-loan Leeds man worked hard in the middle of the park, but his most notable contribution was inside his own six-yard box as he hooked away Saka’s goal-bound strike with his goalkeeper beaten. A steady display. AFP

Marcus McGuane 6 – Worked hard and produced a decent performance without really having too much impact on proceedings. Replaced in the 84th minute. Reuters

Cameron Brannagan 7 – Took the game to Arsenal. Had a slightly nervous-looking Tierney backing off, but his clipped pass into an inviting area was calmly collected. Battled hard and made life uncomfortable for Arsenal’s startled stars. AFP

Billy Bodin 8 – Classy. Beautifully spun away from Tomiyasu and still managed to squeeze in a delivery from a tight area, which was a good one too, but it was gathered well by Turner. Didn’t look out-of-place alongside the likes of Saka and Martinelli. AFP

Matty Taylor 8 – Held the ball up well and his distribution was excellent too. A proper number nine’s display that would have been even better if he’d been able to poke the ball beyond the outrushing Turner on the stretch. AP

Josh Murphy 6 – One of the few Oxford players to have played Premier League football, the winger pressed well in an energetic outing, but wasn’t really able to show his quality. Reuters

SUBS: Yanic Wildschut (Murphy 62') 6 – A decent half-hour but he was unable to net a consolation; Tyler Goodrham (Bodin 77') N/A – More valuable minutes for the 19-year-old; Gatlin O'Donkor (Taylor 77') N/A – Little time to make an impact; Josh Johnson (McGuane 84') N/A; Brandon Fleming (Brown 84') N/A. Getty

ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Matt Turner 6 – Didn’t have too much to do despite Oxford’s hustle and bustle, but he produced a competent display, including a smart stop to deny Taylor who was clean through on goal just after the restart. Getty

Takehiro Tomiyasu 7 – The full-back looked a little vulnerable in moments but rescued his side with a couple of important, last-ditch toe-pokes in and around the box. Should have assisted the opener but directed his low cross straight at the keeper. Getty

Rob Holding 4 – Not his most convincing display. He was nudged off the ball far too easily in a dangerous area after the break having earlier presented the ball straight to Taylor with a header into a poor area. AFP

Gabriel 6 – Provided some vital experience at the back, but even he looked a little off it in spells as he put the heat on his keeper with a bobbling backpass played with pace. Produced a couple of big defensive headers to his credit. Reuters

Kieran Tierney 7 – Up and down in a typical Tierney performance. He was unable to provide his usual of barrage crosses into the opposition box, but prevented a certain goal-scoring opportunity with a vital header and was good value for his clean sheet. Reuters

Mohamed Elneny 8 – Rescued Arsenal on a couple of occasions in the first half after defensive lapses and deserved his goal, which he finished emphatically when he powered home Vieira’s corner to open the scoring. Reuters

Albert Sambi Lokonga 4 – Thought he should have had a penalty when his low strike stfuck the arm of Moore, but aside from that he was poor. Another waster chance to impress for the midfielder. AP

Fabio Vieira 8 – Looked every bit as good as Martin Odegaard in spells and was rewarded for his patience as he unlocked the stubborn Oxford defence with two exceptional assists. AFP

Bukayo Saka 7 – Probably Arsenal’s best player in the first half and he would have been on the scoresheet if not for an important clearance from Bate. Withdrawn in the second half, hopefully as a precaution having picked up a knock. Getty

Eddie Nketiah 9 – Brilliant. The 23-year-old found chances hard to come by in the first half but secured his side’s passage into the next round when he rounded McGinty to tap home before lifting a classy second over the Oxford goalkeeper. Wonderful finishing. AP

Gabriel Martinelli 7– Worked tirelessly without really making much impact for the most part, but he was good value in a fascinating battle with Anderson and grabbed himself an assist when he found Nketiah who clipped the ball over the ‘keeper for 3-0. Reuters

SUBS: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Tierney 61’) 6 – Looked to escape a booking after clipping his opponent’s heels as the hosts look to break. Fired one into the car park prior to that. Reuters

Granit Xhaka (Lokonga 62’) 6 – Tidied things up in the middle which allowed Arsenal’s flair players to shine. Getty

Emile Smith Rowe (Saka 75’) NR – Vital minutes for the talented 22-year-old who featured for the first time since September. AFP

Ben White (Tomiyasu 81’) N/A – A 10-minute runout for the defender; Marquinhos (Vieira 82’) N/A – No chance to make an impact. Getty

OXFORD UNITED PLAYER RATINGS: Edward McGinty 7 – Showed good composure to cling onto Tomiyasu’s fizzed low cross early on. That will have settled any nerves, and he gave a good account of himself thereafter despite the scoreline. AFP

Djavan Anderson 7 – Presented the visitors with an opening when he misjudged a ball over the top that was collected by Vieira, but he later showed excellent composure to keep tabs on Martinelli’s driving run and produce a perfectly-timed challenge inside his own box. Getty

Elliott Moore 7 – Made things difficult for the Arsenal frontline in a disciplined display. Gave up absolutely nothing to Nketiah in the first half, but perhaps got away with one when Lokonga’s strike struck his arm on the slide. Played Nketiah’s super run onside for 2-0. AP

Sam Long 7 – Like Moore, he was a rock in the first-half as the men in yellow had the Gunners rattled, but there’s only so much you can do when the opposing striker is in that kind of ruthless form. Getty

Ciaron Brown 7 – The full-back was given a let off when Saka was adjudged to have nudged him to the ground having raced in behind. Asked a question when his inviting cross was well-cleared by Gabriel but saw yellow for fouling Nketiah then Vieira. Getty

Lewis Bate 7 – The on-loan Leeds man worked hard in the middle of the park, but his most notable contribution was inside his own six-yard box as he hooked away Saka’s goal-bound strike with his goalkeeper beaten. A steady display. AFP

Marcus McGuane 6 – Worked hard and produced a decent performance without really having too much impact on proceedings. Replaced in the 84th minute. Reuters

Cameron Brannagan 7 – Took the game to Arsenal. Had a slightly nervous-looking Tierney backing off, but his clipped pass into an inviting area was calmly collected. Battled hard and made life uncomfortable for Arsenal’s startled stars. AFP

Billy Bodin 8 – Classy. Beautifully spun away from Tomiyasu and still managed to squeeze in a delivery from a tight area, which was a good one too, but it was gathered well by Turner. Didn’t look out-of-place alongside the likes of Saka and Martinelli. AFP

Matty Taylor 8 – Held the ball up well and his distribution was excellent too. A proper number nine’s display that would have been even better if he’d been able to poke the ball beyond the outrushing Turner on the stretch. AP

Josh Murphy 6 – One of the few Oxford players to have played Premier League football, the winger pressed well in an energetic outing, but wasn’t really able to show his quality. Reuters

SUBS: Yanic Wildschut (Murphy 62') 6 – A decent half-hour but he was unable to net a consolation; Tyler Goodrham (Bodin 77') N/A – More valuable minutes for the 19-year-old; Gatlin O'Donkor (Taylor 77') N/A – Little time to make an impact; Josh Johnson (McGuane 84') N/A; Brandon Fleming (Brown 84') N/A. Getty

ARSENAL PLAYER RATINGS: Matt Turner 6 – Didn’t have too much to do despite Oxford’s hustle and bustle, but he produced a competent display, including a smart stop to deny Taylor who was clean through on goal just after the restart. Getty

Takehiro Tomiyasu 7 – The full-back looked a little vulnerable in moments but rescued his side with a couple of important, last-ditch toe-pokes in and around the box. Should have assisted the opener but directed his low cross straight at the keeper. Getty

Rob Holding 4 – Not his most convincing display. He was nudged off the ball far too easily in a dangerous area after the break having earlier presented the ball straight to Taylor with a header into a poor area. AFP

Gabriel 6 – Provided some vital experience at the back, but even he looked a little off it in spells as he put the heat on his keeper with a bobbling backpass played with pace. Produced a couple of big defensive headers to his credit. Reuters

Kieran Tierney 7 – Up and down in a typical Tierney performance. He was unable to provide his usual of barrage crosses into the opposition box, but prevented a certain goal-scoring opportunity with a vital header and was good value for his clean sheet. Reuters

Mohamed Elneny 8 – Rescued Arsenal on a couple of occasions in the first half after defensive lapses and deserved his goal, which he finished emphatically when he powered home Vieira’s corner to open the scoring. Reuters

Albert Sambi Lokonga 4 – Thought he should have had a penalty when his low strike stfuck the arm of Moore, but aside from that he was poor. Another waster chance to impress for the midfielder. AP

Fabio Vieira 8 – Looked every bit as good as Martin Odegaard in spells and was rewarded for his patience as he unlocked the stubborn Oxford defence with two exceptional assists. AFP

Bukayo Saka 7 – Probably Arsenal’s best player in the first half and he would have been on the scoresheet if not for an important clearance from Bate. Withdrawn in the second half, hopefully as a precaution having picked up a knock. Getty

Eddie Nketiah 9 – Brilliant. The 23-year-old found chances hard to come by in the first half but secured his side’s passage into the next round when he rounded McGinty to tap home before lifting a classy second over the Oxford goalkeeper. Wonderful finishing. AP

Gabriel Martinelli 7– Worked tirelessly without really making much impact for the most part, but he was good value in a fascinating battle with Anderson and grabbed himself an assist when he found Nketiah who clipped the ball over the ‘keeper for 3-0. Reuters

SUBS: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Tierney 61’) 6 – Looked to escape a booking after clipping his opponent’s heels as the hosts look to break. Fired one into the car park prior to that. Reuters

Granit Xhaka (Lokonga 62’) 6 – Tidied things up in the middle which allowed Arsenal’s flair players to shine. Getty

Emile Smith Rowe (Saka 75’) NR – Vital minutes for the talented 22-year-old who featured for the first time since September. AFP

Ben White (Tomiyasu 81’) N/A – A 10-minute runout for the defender; Marquinhos (Vieira 82’) N/A – No chance to make an impact. Getty

Oxford United v Arsenal player ratings: Taylor 8, Bate 7; Nketiah 9, Vieira 8

Gunners set up FA Cup fourth round clash with Manchester City after 3-0 win at Kassam Stadium

Liam Wheeler

January 10, 2023

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