Sutton United v Arsenal Live Commentary & Result, 20/02/2017, FA Cup

Well, that’s all from me for now. Thank you and goodbye!

Roarie Deacon was excellent for the hosts, and his wonderful strike was just inches away from nestling into the top-right corner. But, it was not to be for the former Arsenal youth, whose side’s remarkable run finally comes to an end.

Sutton started well, but a fortuitous goal from Lucas put Arsenal ahead midway through the first-half, and though the hosts could have snatched a goal either side of the interval, Walcott’s 100th club goal all-but wrapped up the win, securing a quarter-final clash at home to the only remaining non-league side in the competition - Lincoln City.

FULL TIME! The fairytale is over for Sutton, as they bow out in the fifth round following an extraordinary run in this year’s FA Cup. They put in a resilient display this evening, and in all truth, deserved to get on the scoresheet at the very least, but goals from Lucas Perez and Theo Walcott have sent Arsenal through to the final eight.

90' + 2' We're into the second of three added minutes in south London...

89' Sanchez scoops a cross to the back post, where Lucas is waiting to unleash an acrobatic effort, but Amankwaah is on hand to intervene.

87' A stoppage now, as Downer - who has put in such a resilient display this evening - goes down with cramp. That looks painful for the veteran defender.

85' A poor pass from Holding sets Fitchet away, but he decides not to shoot, and instead picks out Hudson-Odoi, whose strike is deflected wide.

D. Fitchett

M. Biamou

82' A third and final substitution for the hosts. Off goes Biamou, with Fitchett coming on.

81' SAVE! That’s a good stop from Worner, who dived down low to his left to parry away Oxlade-Chamberlain’s effort. Moments later, Sanchez lights up the crowd with a magnificent piece of skill, but his following chip drifts just wide.

78' A sloppy pass from Oxlade-Chamberlain allows Deacon to pounce, and he proceeds to feed his strike-partner, but Biamou cannot get to the ball ahead of Mustafi.

76' Well, he may be a world-class talent, but Sanchez has been given a crash-course in non-league football there, with Downer and Collins both lunging in - fairly - on the Chilean.

75' Spence has looked sharp since his introduction, and his extra once and attacking impetus has just helped Sutton push further up-field.

A. Sánchez

A. Iwobi

74' The second change is a big one. Alexis Sanchez is on, in place of Iwobi, as Arsenal look to put this result beyond all doubt, while also adding a sprinkling of world-class star-dust to this encounter.

A. Maitland-Niles

J. Reine-Adélaïde

74' Wenger responds with two changes of his own. First off, Reine-Adelaide trudges off. Youngster Maitland-Niles, making his 10th Arsenal appearance, is his replacement.

B. Hudson-Odoi

A. May

71' A second substitution in quick succession for Sutton. May is replaced by Hudson-Odoi for the final 20 minutes...

D. Spence

D. Beckwith

70' A first change of the game from Sutton. Spence is on, with Beckwith making way. And the substitute is involved immediately as he delivers an excellent cross, which Ospina just manages to claw away.

69' What a run from Oxlade-Chamberlain, who drives down the left, evading three challenges. But, at the culmination of it, he fails to pick out the run of Walcott, even though the cross appeared to be a simple one.

66' CROSSBAR! What an effort from Deacon, who unleashes an absolute pile-driver from the edge of the area. Ospina is planted to the spot, and can only watch as the ball clatters away off the woodwork. That’s so unfortunate for the hosts!

64' In spite of Arsenal’s advantage, Sutton have created three excellent opportunities in this match, and could - and perhaps should - have netted at least once. Arsenal, however, are putting in an efficient and professional display, as Amankwaah does brilliantly to clear Lucas' cross.

61' MISS! Dreadful goalkeeping from Ospina, who is in no man’s land from the resulting corner. Collins rises to meet it, but the Sutton skipper cannot find the target with his header.

59' SO CLOSE! Superb play from Deacon, who gets down the left wing before delivering a sublime cross. It soars just inches over the head of Biamou, and though Gomis is waiting at the back post, Monreal manages to head it out.

58' CHANCE! May once again finds himself in space in the area, but this time he elects to pick out a team-mate with a neat pass into the feet of Biamou, whose strike is directed straight at Ospina.

A. Iwobi

Assist

55' It may not have been intentional, and Iwobi was probably looking to prod the ball goal-wards, but the forward’s flick fell perfectly for Walcott, who couldn’t really miss from that range.

T. Walcott

Goal

55' GOOOAAAAALLLLL!! WALCOTT HITS 100! Finally, Sutton’s resistance is broken. Lucas and Monreal coming down the left, with the latter threading in a low cross. Iwobi helps it on, and Walcott duly blasts home his 100th goal for the Gunners.

54' The last non-league team to win an FA Cup home game against top-flight opposition was Sutton, when they beat Coventry 28 years ago.

52' CHANCE! Fantastic work from Gomis, as the gangly midfielder twists and turns in the Arsenal area, displaying superb strength, pace, balance and footwork to negotiate his way around two defenders and get a shot off, but it is blocked by Monreal.

49' Oxlade-Chamberlain is immediately involved, as he looks to pick out Walcott - who had made a curving run across Sutton’s defence - with a clever throughball, but there is just too much weight on it.

47' A worrying moment for Osipna, who appears to have misjudged a back pass from Holding. The ball, fortunately for the Colombia shot-stopper, holds up in the wind, and the Arsenal goalkeeper is able to control it.

A. Oxlade-Chamberlain

Mohamed Elneny

46' Welcome back! Sutton have got the second-half up and running. There has been one change at the interval, with Arsenal forced into a substitution. Elneny picked up an injury in the first half, and Oxlade-Chamberlain comes on in his place.

Arsenal have not been at their best, but they have still - as you would expect - created the better chances so far. However, Arsene Wenger will be looking for his side to step-up the quality after the interval.

While they are behind, the dream is still well alive for the minnows, who could - and perhaps should - have gone level just prior to the interval, with Adam May squandering a fantastic opportunity.

HALF-TIME. An entertaining opening 45 minutes in south London. with Lucas Perez’s fortuitous goal having put Arsenal ahead, despite a rugged, combative display from Sutton.

45' + 1' Sutton boss Doswell has his head in his hands on the sidelines. He knows how important that chance was! Two minutes of stoppage time left to play in the first half...

45' CHANCE! What a calamitous error from Ospina, who gifts possession straight to May with an awful pass. The Sutton midfielder drives unchallenged into the area, but somehow fails to hit the target from close-range. That was the opportunity Sutton have been waiting for!

42' END TO END! Deacon delivers a superb cross, which Downer knocks-down well, but the Sutton players have over-run it. Arsenal counter through Walcott, with the ball eventually pin-balling into the feet of Iwobi. The youngster slides a strike goalwards, but Beckwith got back to make a timely intervention.

J. Reine-Adélaïde

Yellow Card

40' A worrying moment for Reine-Adelaide, who has to foul Deacon down the left, providing Sutton with a real chance...

39' The first corner of the game, with just over five minutes of the half remaining, and it goes Arsenal’s way after Downer blocks Iwobi’s cross at the culmination of a sweeping move. However, Sutton clear their lines from the resulting set-piece.

37' This is Arsenal’s first game against a non-league side in the FA Cup since 2002/03, when they beat Farnborough 5-1 at Highbury.

35' A bit of a concern for arsenal, as Elneny has to receive treatment for what appears to be an ankle injury. The Egyptian is back to his feet quickly enough, though Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had started warming up on the touchline.

33' Although Arsenal have brightened since going ahead, it has to be said that the visitors haven’t exactly been convincing so far, and their opening goal was due to a huge slice of luck. That being said, the visitors will be unlikely to let this lead slip.

32' STAT - Lucas Perez has been directly involved in nine goals in his last eight starts for Arsenal in all comps (six goals, three assists).

30' CLOSE! Arsenal’s confidence is up now, and Walcott elects to try his luck from the edge of the area. He hits it cleanly enough, but the ball swerves upwards and just over the crossbar.

28' Another scramble in Sutton’s area, as a combination of Worner and Downer prevent Monreal finding the target, before Deacon manages to clear.

G. Xhaka

Assist

26' It wasn’t a particularly well-worked move from Arsenal, with Xhaka merely playing the ball into the space, and Lucas doing the rest.

Lucas Pérez

Goal

26' GOOOOAAAAALLLLL!!! Well, for all their positivity, Sutton are behind. A swift counter from the visitors, as Lucas cuts inside from the right and delivers a low cross-cum-shot across the face of goal. Walcott dummies, allowing the ball to curve through his open legs, and Worner - and Arsenal fan - can only watch the ball nestle into the bottom corner.

G. Xhaka

Yellow Card

24' A first booking of the game now, and it goes the way of an Arsenal man. Xhaka is no stranger to a card, and referee Oliver duly brandishes a yellow to the Swiss midfielder after he had tugged on the shirt of Eastmond.

23' A great counter-attack from Sutton ends in disappointment, as after a fine solo run from Deacon, the former Arsenal youth can only direct his cross out of play.

21' Arsenal could reach the sixth round for the fourth season in a row, something they haven’t done since 2005 (five in succession). However, they have been more than matched by their hosts in the opening quarter of this encounter.

18' Huge penalty appeals from the hosts, as Eastmond manages to bundle his way past Monreal. He takes a tumble as he nears the byline, though referee Michael Oliver was absolutely correct in his decision to not to award a penalty.

16' High and wide from Elneny, who gets his long-range strike horridly wrong following a scrambled clearance from Collins.

14' The hosts are having the better of proceedings at the moment, with Arsenal unable to replicate the tidy passing-play that they exhibited in the opening minutes.

12' Sutton can be extremely pleased with the opening 10 minutes at Gander Green Lane. Though we have a pause in play now, as an over-zealous Sutton fan having made his way onto the pitch.

9' Sutton playmaker Eastmond - who played 10 games for Arsenal during his formative years - engineers space down the right, and utilises it to full-effect, whipping in a dangerous cross to the back post. The other former Gunner in the hosts’ side, Deacon, had made a run to the near post, though.

7' Terrific defending from Downer, who barges his way out of defence to block Reine-Adelaide’s effort before proceeding to win a free-kick from a challenge with Monreal.

5' Sutton are playing their first ever fifth round FA Cup tie in their history. By contrast, this will be Arsenal’s 54th game at this stage since 1925/26.

3' Arsenal are threading it about neatly on this artificial surface, and Elneny’s prodded throughball finds its way into the path of Walcott. The England forward bursts clear of his marker, but he had strayed offside in the build-up.

2' Over 100 places - 105 to be exact - separate these two sides in the league ladder. But all is equal at the start of this tie...

1' KICK-OFF! We’re underway in south London. The magic of the cup is alive and well, as Arsenal get proceedings underway against minnows Sutton!

The atmosphere is palpable at Gander Green Lane, which is packed with over 5,000 spectators. What an unbelievable opportunity this is for Sutton’s players. A true David v Goliath clash!

Theo Walcott, stil in the hunt for his 100th Arsenal goal, starts up top for Arsenal, with youngster Jeff Reine-Adelaide looking to supply the ammunition from behind. Alexis Sanchez, meanwhile, provides the star-quality from the bench.

With their respective Premier League and Champions League campaigns all-but over, Arsenal have named a strong side, despite Arsene Wenger having made seven changes in total following the humiliation in Munich.

As if this tie needed any extra spice, the Sutton line-up features two former Arsenal players in the form of Craig Eastmond and striker Roarie Deacon, while Nicky Bailey has previous played for Charlton Athletic and Middlesbrough. Sutton captain Jamie Collins - who netted the winner against Leeds - is a builder.

TEAM NEWS - Arsenal substitutes: Debuchy, Gibbs, Mertesacker, Sanchez, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Martinez, Maitland-Niles.

TEAM NEWS - Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Ospina; Gabriel, Mustafi, Holding, Monreal; Elneny, Xhaka; Lucas Perez, Reine-Adelaide, Iwobi; Walcott.

TEAM NEWS - Sutton substitutes: John, Hudson-Odoi, Fitchett, Spence, Monakana, Tubbs, Shaw.

TEAM NEWS - Sutton (4-1-3-2): Worner; Beckwith, Collins, Downer, Amankwaah; Bailey; May, Eastmond, Gomis; Deacon, Biarnou.

The teams are in from Gander Green Lane…

Lincoln City are the other non-league side to have stepped into the limelight in this year’s edition of the FA Cup, and they await the winner of this tie in the quarter-finals after despatching Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Arsenal, on the other hand, have also been on a poor run. Their 5-0 thrashing of EFL Cup finalists Southampton in round four has been followed up by a streak of two defeats from their next three Premier League encounters, while they were demolished 5-1 by Bayern Munich in their last outing.

It’s an amazing achievement for the semi-professional club, who now get to go up against one of the most famous teams in world football. That being said, Sutton - who famously beat top-flight Coventry City back in 1989 - don’t come into this tie in the best of form, with Doswell’s side having failed to win a game since they overcame Leeds in round four.

It has been a true FA Cup fairytale for Sutton this year, with the south London side - under the tutelage of manager Paul Doswell - having already overcome the likes of AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United on their route to the last 16.

Hello and welcome, football fans, to LIVE coverage of a momentous FA Cup tie, as non-league minnows Sutton United host Premier League giants Arsenal in the fifth round!

Sutton United v Arsenal Live Commentary, 20/02/2017

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