FA Cup: Arsenal looking good for semis spot

Arsenal 3, Newcastle 0 (latest)

Robert Pires, Dennis Bergkamp and Sol Campbell have inspired Arsenal into a 3-0 lead over Newcastle in their FA Cup quarter final replay at Highbury.

Pires scored the first and made the second for Dennis Bergkamp, but then suffered what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Newcastle were given more hope when Shearer turned into space 25 yards out and floated a chip which had beaten Wright but drifted just wide of the post.

There was some bad news for the Gunners, and not just for the current match, when Pires was carried from the field on a stretcher in the 25th minute with what looked a bad knee injury.

It came from nothing, the French winger jumping to avoid a run-of-the-mill sliding challenge and landing awkwardly. He immediately lay prone in obvious pain, and Wenger was forced to bring on Gilles Grimandi in his place.

Bergkamp had a shout for a penalty turned down, much to his fury, and then Laurent Robert struck a free-kick from at least 30 yards which had Wright scrambling to make the save.

A powerful run by Robert from left to right saw Carl Cort presented with space and the ball on the right-hand corner of the area, but his shot was appalling.

Edu tried a shot from distance, but it lacked power and direction, then Given came swooping out of his goal to block Wiltord’s shot from 15 yards.

Given then pulled off another top-notch save to keep Newcastle in the game after Bergkamp had released Fredrik Ljungberg and the Swede struck a goal-bound shot that brought the best out of the Magpies goalkeeper.

Patrick Vieira was called into action in the opening minute of the second half, blocking Dyer’s shot on the edge of the Arsenal box.

In the 50th minute, Sol Campbell appeared to put the result beyond doubt when he headed Arsenal 3-0 up.

Bergkamp took a free-kick from wide on the right, Adams just missed it and Campbell came in behind his fellow centre-back, strong enough to hold off Dabizas, and bulleted a header over Given.

Bergkamp then struck the angle for the second time in the game, and what a goal it would have been.

First he teased the Newcastle defence, then he used Edu as a decoy before trying a trademark chip that could not beat the woodwork.

The Dutchman was threatening again soon afterwards, put through on goal by Edu’s quick free-kick but steering the ball wide of the post after Given narrowed the angle well.

Edu then gave Given a fright with a wickedly curling free-kick which nearly dipped in to the top corner.

Newcastle, any remaining confidence shot to pieces, appeared to have no answer.