Wasteful Gunners eventually prevail

ARSENAL moved into the semi-finals of the Carling Cup with victory over Wigan at a freezing Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners missed several good chances before they took the lead on the stroke of half-time through an own goal from Latics skipper Antolin Alcaraz.

Wigan lost Victor Moses to a suspected broken wrist and Nicklas Bendtner’s close-range effort on 67 minutes kept Arsene Wenger’s men on the road to Wembley.

Earlier, Bendtner — recalled to the starting XI alongside Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott — missed a great chance to take an early lead when Bendtner failed to connect with his free header at the far post from Van Persie’s deep free-kick.

Wigan tried to knock the ball around crisply as Moses darted down the left and cut back inside to the Arsenal penalty area before drilling a low shot into the side netting.

Carlos Vela’s angled drive was deflected out for a corner which Laurent Koscielny flicked over as Arsenal upped the tempo.

The Mexican was put through again on 26 minutes, this time by Van Persie’s clever back-heel, but as the keeper committed himself, Vela’s chip curled just wide of the empty net.

Arsenal went ahead on 42 minutes through an own goal. Walcott’s corner caused all sorts of problems in the Wigan six-yard box, with Alcaraz putting the ball into the net under pressure from Bendtner.

Wigan continued to pour forward after the break, but it was Arsenal who looked to have secured safe passage to the semi-finals when Vela was put clear down the left, and his low centre was bundled in by Bendtner from two yards after 67 minutes.

Walcott got away again down the right, beating the advancing keeper and pushing the ball out to Vela, but the angle was too tight as Ali Al Habsi recovered to save on the line.

With the tie now safe, Arsenal took off Van Persie and Jack Wilshere, replaced by Craig Eastmond and Samir Nasri.

Walcott almost made it three when he cut in from the left and curled a low effort just wide of the far post.

In stoppage time, Nasri broke into the box and rounded the keeper, but his shot was cleared off the line by James McArthur but Arsenal were safely through.

Meanwhile, Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas maintains he will not rush back into action until completely free of his latest hamstring problem.

The Spain midfielder limped off during the 2-0 Champions League defeat in Braga last week after suffering a fresh setback in what has been an injury-plagued campaign.

“I don’t want to put a date on my return yet, I will take my time,” Fabregas said.

“The team did really well without me against Aston Villa, so I will wait until it is completely ready.”

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Eboue, Koscielny, Djourou, Gibbs, Walcott, Denilson, Wilshere (Nasri 73), Vela, Bendtner (Emmanuel-Thomas 85), van Persie (Eastmond 73).

WIGAN: Al Habsi, Gohouri, Steven Caldwell, Alcaraz, Stam (McManaman 79), McArthur, Thomas, Watson, Figueroa, Boselli (Gomez 83), Moses (N’Zogbia 39).

Referee: Martin Atkinson (Yorkshire).