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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Arsenal v Everton, FA Cup quarter-final

Arsenal took on Everton in FA Cup, while we also be kept you up to date on Man United’s Premier League encounter with West Brom.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Arsenal 4-1 Everton

West Brom 0-3 Man United

Hello, and welcome to our liveblog of today’s FA Cup game.

We’ll also be keeping an eye on developments in the West Brom-United game.

Here are the teams…

ARSENAL: Fabianski, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Flamini, Arteta, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla, Sanogo. Subs: Rosicky, Podolski, Giroud, Viviano, Jenkinson, Miyaichi, Gnabry.

EVERTON: Robles, Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines, McCarthy, Barry, Mirallas, Barkley, Pienaar, Lukaku. Subs: Hibbert, McGeady, Deulofeu, Naismith, Osman, Howard, Browning.

And here are the line-ups in the Premier League 12.45 fixture.

WEST BROM: Foster, Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Yacob, Mulumbu, Amalfitano, Gera, Brunt, Anichebe. Subs: Morrison, Myhill, Vydra, Dawson, Sessegnon, Berahino, Thievy.

MAN UNITED: De Gea, Da Silva, Smalling, Jones, Evra, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, Januzaj, van Persie. Subs: Giggs, Lindegaard, Vidic, Young, Welbeck, Fletcher, Kagawa.

Roberto Martinez admits that part of his reason for starting Ross Barkley is because he did so well the last time these sides met.

He concedes that the youngster hasn’t been at his best lately, but says it’s inevitable that footballers will have “ups and downs”.

We’re underway…

Steve

There’s no sign of Everton taking a cautious approach to this game.

Coleman and Baines are pushed high up the field in their customary manner.

GOAL FOR ARSENAL!

Arsenal 1-0 Everton: A McCarthy slip allows Cazorla to make a break in midfield.

The Spaniard plays through Ozil, who slots it confidently into the net (6 mins).

Great start for Arsenal!

Pienaar almost responds immediately for Everton, but Sagna gets to a cross just before him to avert the danger.

It’s been a lively opening 10 minutes, with both sides showing a willingness to attack in numbers.

Ozil has received significant criticism, perhaps justifiably, for his recent performances.

Yet his classy finish for that goal showed why Arsenal paid all that money for him in the first place.

Here’s a look at that Arsenal goal…

Fut Gols / YouTube

It’s been a less-than-assured performance from Tim Howard’s stand-in.

Hw

It’s been a fantastic game so far. Both sides have been attacking at will amid a ferocious pace.

Clearly, it’s all down to magic of the FA Cup.*

*Not really.

GOAL FOR EVERTON!

Everton 1-1 Arsenal: Ross Barkley makes an excellent marauding run upfield.

The Englishman’s cross finds Mirallas, who pulls it back to Lukaku and the big striker taps home (32 mins).

GOAL FOR MAN UNITED!

West Brom 0-1 Man United: Phil Jones has headed in a Van Persie free-kick to give United the lead (34 mins).

Moyes in!

Lukaku is causing all sorts of trouble for the Arsenal defence.

Chamberlain has just done well to get back and cut out his cross.

Here’s Lukaku’s goal…

And here’s a look at the goal that’s given United the lead.

HdGoals / YouTube

Shouts for a penalty right on half-time as Coleman gets past Chamberlain at the byline before going down.

Replays reveal he went down pretty easily, but I’ve seen them given.

HALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-1 EVERTON

Half-time in a game that has, more than anything else, been a good advert for the FA Cup.

Both sides have played some excellent football and have approached the game in an adventurous manner.

That said, the two goals were preventable. McCarthy will be disappointed to have let Cazorla make a break so easily for the Gunners goal, while Seamus Coleman also could have gotten closer to Ozil.

Conversely, Arsene Wenger will feel unhappy with the fact that Ross Barkley was allowed to run roughly 40 yards unchallenged for the equaliser.

With it all to play for, the second-half seems set to be a mouth-watering prospect.

The second-half is underway…

The ball falls to Chamberlain on the edge of the box, but his scuffed shot is easily saved.

There haven’t been many clear-cut chances, but the game has been intriguing as ever since the break.

Cross

Lukaku steals possession from Vermaelen.

The striker lays the ball to Barkley, who curls it just over from the edge of the box.

Soccer - FA Cup - Sixth Round - Arsenal v Everton - Emirates Stadium PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Everton fans celebrate with flares in the stands after Lukaku’s goal.

Cazorla’s shot is tipped away for a corner by Robles.

Arsenal are slightly on top in an increasingly nervy affair.

Arsenal have brought on Giroud and he almost immediately gets on the end of Ozil’s cross.

Arsenal definitely look the more likely to score at the moment.

Yaya Sanogo has made way for Giroud by the way.

PENALTY TO ARSENAL!

Phenomenal pace from Chamberlain to get away from Barry initially, before the midfielder clearly trips him in the box.

GOAL FOR ARSENAL!

Arsenal 2-1 Everton: Ex-Everton player Mikel Arteta coolly slots the penalty at the second time of asking (67 mins).

The Spaniard had to re-take the penalty after scoring his first attempt, as at least one Arsenal player was penalised for encroaching early.

GOAL FOR MAN UNITED!

Man United 2-0 West Brom: Wayne Rooney heads home Rafael’s cross to surely make the game safe for United.

Are their players finally clicking?

Barkley curls a shot just wide. He’s been excellent today.

Arsenal are looking a little nervous now, as McGeady and Osman replace Mirallas and Pienaar.

Rosicky comes on for Chamberlain, who looks set to be Arsenal’s hero after winning the penalty.

These stoppages are breaking up the game, with neither team having really establishing much of a rhythm in recent minutes.

GOAL FOR ARSENAL!

Arsenal 3-1 Everton: It’s all over now. A cross from Sagna finds Giroud, who taps home (83 mins).

3-1 is somewhat harsh on Everton, but Arsenal undoubtedly deserve the win.

GOAL FOR MAN UNITED!

GOAL FOR ARSENAL!

Arsenal 4-1 Everton: A lovely weighted pass from Ozil, finds Giroud, who has another easy tap in (85 mins).

The substitution has certainly had its desired effect.

Man United 3-0 West Brom: Danny Welbeck finishes well after nice work from Rooney and Fellaini (82 mins).

FULL-TIME: ARSENAL 4-1 EVERTON

FULL-TIME: WEST BROM 0-3 MAN UNITED

So Arsenal are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and seem to have a good chance to win their first major trophy in years.

While they thoroughly deserved their victory, 4-1 was more than a little harsh on Everton, who competed manfully for much of the game.

Ultimately though, class from the likes of Chamberlain, Ozil and Giroud was too much for Roberto Martinez’s men, as they ran out of steam late on.

The Toffees boss also won’t be best pleased with Gareth Barry, after he needlessly gave away a penalty in what proved to be the game’s pivotal moment.

Right that’s all from me for now, but we’ll have more reaction to follow.

Thanks for reading and commenting.

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