Arsenal 2-0 Wigan Athletic - Carling Cup

Arsenal reached the League Cup Semi-Final for a record 14th time with a 2-0 win over Wigan at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.

The home side struggled in the snow early on and only broke the deadlock three minutes before the interval when Antolin Alcaraz inadvertently nodded a Theo Walcott corner into his own net.

They kicked on from there and, just past the hour, Nicklas Bendtner slid in a low cross from Carlos Vela to make it 2-0.

Walcott and Vela had chances to at least double the score in the final stages as Arsène Wenger’s side cruised home.

Reaching the Carling Cup Semi-Final is hardly a season-long aim for Arsenal but a youthful crowd seemed pretty happy this evening as they celebrated with Mexican Waves. The victory also helped ease the home form issues that have been troubling Arsenal for a couple of months.

In fairness Wenger has always said he wanted to win the Carling Cup, as it is now called, to complete a domestic set. This year he has backed that desire with a stronger team.

West Ham’s win over Manchester United means Arsenal’s will be installed as favourites to lift the trophy in February. That is jumping the gun.

But after tonight’s warming victory, this competition can now be put to bed until 2011.

The main talking point in Wenger’s team selection concerned Robin van Persie. The Dutchman started his first game since the 2-1 win at Blackburn on August 28 and also took the armband.

Walcott and Bendtner returned to the starting line-up after their heroics at Newcastle in the last round. Wojciech Szczesny and Vela also featured after starring at St James Park.

Jack Wilshere and Laurent Koscielny were the only players to retain their places from Saturday’s 4-2 win at Villa Park.

Denilson, Kieran Gibbs and Emmanuel Eboue were also inserted into the side.

Wenger’s bench was part insurance (Andrey Arshavin, Bacary Sagna and Samir Nasri), part education (James Shea, Jay Emmanuel Thomas, Havard Nordviet and Craig Eastmond).

A fluttering of snow greeted the players as they came out. There had been no real question marks over the game going ahead but it was still bitterly cold. Eboue took action against the freezing temperature by donning white tights. Perhaps he was just marking his 200th game in Arsenal colours.

Either way, it made the Ivorian stand out – and he would be caught out a couple of times in the opening 10 minutes.

First, Victor Moses turned him and fired into the sidenetting from a dangerous distance.

Then his errant backpass was anticipated and intercepted by Mauro Boselli. Fortunately the Argentinean’s first touch was so heavy that it stifled the opportunity.

Bendtner had nodded wide in the opening seconds and, on the quarter-hour, headed into the sidenetting. Vela saw a deflected shot go behind and Koscielny sent the resulting corner over the bar.

Still they were only half-chances. As we passed the midway point of the first half, Arsenal had simply not settled and Wigan were probing away at the home defence. It was a very even affair.

However, in the 26th minute, Vela should have tipped the balance.

Wilshere fed Van Persie on the edge of the area with his back to goal. The Dutchman must have spotted the Mexican racing through. He produced a gorgeous back-flick to send Vela into acres of space. Faced with only the keeper to beat, the striker tried his trademark lofted finish over the keeper. This time it drifted wide.

Moses had caused Arsenal problems so it was a body blow for the visitors when he collapsed under a challenge from Walcott holding his wrist. The former Crystal Palace striker was stretchered off in some distress. Charles N’Zogbia came on.

Seven minutes from the break, Arsenal had a loud shout for a penalty when Maynor Figueroa appeared to handle with Van Persie lurking at the far post.

Seconds later, Vela and Bendtner steered decent headers wide of the target.

Then, three minutes from the whistle, Arsenal broke the deadlock. Walcott fired over a corner from the left, Bendtner rose highest but missed the ball. It hit Alcaraz on the edge of the six-yard box and flew in.

Almost immediately the defender nearly had his revenge. Ben Watson thumped in a corner and a header from Alcaraz was nudged on by Boselli. Szczesny saved at the second attempt.

Suddenly this game had found some life.

In the dying seconds, another sumptuous flick from Van Persie sent Vela clear again. This time he stumbled as he raced into the area.

The Dutchman had been the stand-out performer in the first half and, within seconds of the restart, he was in the action again.

Van Persie threw himself into a header but got a bash on the nose for his trouble. After treatment he carried on.

Finally, Arsenal had started to take a full grip on the game. Walcott waltzed to the byline and Bendtner headed over.

N’Zogbia’s pace caused consternation on a couple of occasions but, in the 67th minute, the home side added a second.

Vela fired a low, left-wing cross to the far post and Bendtner slid his third goal of the season.

The Mexican was starting to shine. He could have added a third on two occasions just after that. But Ali Al Habsi denied his sliding shot from the angle having been put through.

Thirteen minutes from time, Vela sent Walcott clear. The winger’s sidefoot shot beat the keeper but drifted just beyond the far post.

Five minutes later, the England international would have another effort. This one appeared to be blocked by the arm of Figueroa.

In injury time, Nasri skipped past the keeper but his shot was booted of the line.

However, by then, this game had been more than won.

Arsenal are in the last four of this year's Carling Cup.

Everton 1-2 Arsenal - Barclays Premier League

Arsenal returned to second place in the Premier League with a hard-fought but richly-deserved 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday.

Bacary Sagna thumped the visitors in front nine minutes before half-time – his second strike in 147 games for the Club – and Cesc Fabregas cracked home another just after the restart.

The home team put pressure on Arsène Wenger’s side for the remainder of the game but, as they had at Wolves in midweek, Arsenal rolled up their sleeves. The defence was largely stoic and, when it wasn’t, Lukasz Fabianski bailed them out with a string of late saves.

In the dying seconds, Tim Cahill did force the ball home from close range to set up four frantic minutes of injury time. But the comeback was never really on.

Arsenal were full value for their win this afternoon and it means that now more than half of their points have come away from Emirates Stadium

If Wenger’s men are going to win the title this season, it seems they are happy to win it on the road.

The manager made one change from the side that had toughed out a 2-0 win at Wolves on Wednesday. Samir Nasri returned to replace Tomas Rosicky. The Frenchman started on the right hand side to allow Andrey Arshavin to stay on the left.

Having lost so lamely against Newcastle at Emirates Stadium last Sunday, this game would determine the ‘feel’ of the week. Six points and a return to second place would be a reasonable response in the circumstances.

But, with Everton unbeaten in their last seven games, this was likely to be a similar kind of gritty scrap to Wednesday night.

And so it proved.

The opening minutes were muted. The hosts had the edge but created nothing.

The first chance fell to Arsenal in the tenth minute. The visiting defence backed off the advancing Nasri until the Frenchman was 12 yards from goal and eventually, Sylvain Distin threw himself in to block.

Everton immediately flew down the other end and created, what turned out to be, their best chance of the half. Seamus Coleman advanced on the right and picked out the unmarked Cahill at the far post. The Australian is known for his excellence in the air but this time he got everything wrong. The midfielder tried to guide the ball back inside the near post. In fact he put it over the bar. A huge miss.

Midway through the half, Arshavin weaved inside and thumped over. Then Marouane Chamakh’s backflick set Jack Wilshere traversing the area. Just as the youngster got his shot away, Phil Jagielka flew in to deflect his effort wide.

It was evidence that Arsenal had finally found their feet. This was no advert for the quality of Premier League football but the visitors were now the better side.

Arshavin and Alex Song thumped wide of the woodwork and, just past the half-hour, a flowing move saw Fabregas cut the ball back towards Chamakh at the near post. The Moroccan’s dummy was wasteful.

These were not great opportunities but they were more than Everton were creating. Nine minutes before the half-time whistle Arsenal finally put it all together.

Nasri’s shot was turned aside by Tim Howard and the ball eventually fell to Sagna, who beat the keeper with a powerful shot from the narrowest of angles.

The crowd tried to roar an Everton response but the home side lacked guile in the final third.

Arsenal had not been at their best but they were worth their lead.

Both sides made changes at the start of the second half. Denilson replaced Wilshere, who had needed treatment in the first period. Jack Rodwell came on for Johnny Heitinga.

Within two minutes of the kick-off, the visitors doubled their advantage. Denilson lead a breakaway and fed Chamakh just inside the area. In heavy traffic, the striker slipped the ball to Fabregas whose snapshot found the far corner. It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal of the season.

Everton might have replied immediately when Squillaci brought down Louis Saha and Leighton Baines floated his free-kick into the midriff of Fabianski.

After the early set-back, the home side were now chasing a foothold in the game. It meant Arsenal were both under pressure and threatening a third on the break. Just before the hour, the visitors had two clear-cut chances to score a killer third.

First, Nasri breezed past Jagielka to go one-on-one with Howard. The Everton keeper stood up well to repel his shot.

Seconds later, Fabregas fired an inviting ball across the face of goal to the unmarked Chamakh at the far post. Somehow the sliding striker contrived to slice the ball over the bar from three yards.

A contender for miss of the season.

With 21 minutes remaining, Everton manager David Moyes brought off two midfielders – Phil Neville and Mikael Arteta – for two strikers – Yakubu and Jermaine Beckford. His tactics were now crystal clear.

But the expected pressure on the Arsenal goal did not really materialise. The home side’s next chance came nine minutes from time when Beckford hooked a snapshot towards the far post. Fabianski made an excellent save.

A couple of minutes later, the Pole made another stunning stop from Steven Pienaar’s drive.

As full time approached Everton turned the screw. Three minutes from the end the ball fell to Saha’s feet just outside the area. Again Fabianski was equal to the effort.

The home side did find the net in the final minute of normal time. Saha nodded the ball down at the far post for Cahill to poke home from close range.

It sparked Everton into real urgency at last but, barring a few optimistic crosses, Arsenal were comfortable.

The visiting fans were in good voice at the final whistle – and rightly so. This was a massive win for Wenger’s men. One that sends them in to the international break in the ascendancy.

And, of course, they entertain Tottenham next Saturday.

Wilshere signs Arsenal deal

Midfielder Jack Wilshere has signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

Wilshere, who has been at Arsenal since the age of nine, has made a huge impact with his performances in the first-team this season, already making eight Barclays Premier League appearances and featuring in all three Champions League matches so far this campaign.

Wilshere said: "Arsenal has been like a second home for me and my family since I was nine years old. To be offered a new contract means everything to me.

"At this point in my career, when I'm only 18 years old and still learning so much about the game and myself, this is the perfect club, the perfect team-mates, the perfect fans, the perfect backroom staff and most importantly, the perfect manager to help continue that.

"I've got a long way to go before I can become the player I dream of becoming and I'm sure I'll keep making the odd mistake, but it is a massive help for me having a special manager like Arsène Wenger and so many quality team-mates and the unbelievable Arsenal fans around me. I believe there is a lot more to come from me."

The 18-year-old has now made a total of 27 first-team appearances, scoring two goals. On making his debut at Blackburn Rovers in September 2008, he became the youngest-ever player to represent Arsenal in the league, aged just 16 years and 256 days.

Two months later in November 2008, Wilshere, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Owen Coyle's Bolton Wanderers, became the youngest player to represent the club in European competitions, at 16 years and 329 days, when Arsenal faced Dynamo Kyiv in the UEFA Champions League.

Earlier this season, Wilshere was rewarded for his rapid development by earning his first full England cap, playing for the Three Lions in the friendly International match against Hungary at Wembley in August.

Wenger added: "It's such great news that Jack has committed his long-term future to the club. Jack is a fantastic footballer with a huge amount of potential, and we have all seen with his performances so far that he is a very gifted player, who could be an extremely influential player at the top level of the game.

"At still only 18 years of age, there is still so much more to come from him and we're all excited by the fact that Jack Wilshere will be an Arsenal player for years to come."