Arsenal trounced Lincoln 5-0 in the FA cup quarter final at the Emirates Stadium Saturday, but fans of the London club staged yet another protest, asking long serving manager, Arsene Wenger, to go. The protest was codenamed Wexit, after Brexit. It was the second protest in less than a week.
With the victory, Arsenal are just two games away to winning a possible 13th FA Cup title.
Lincoln, 88 places below their Premier League opponents, held their own for much of the first half and even went close to scoring when Petr Cech saved Nathan Arnold’s curled effort.
However, Theo Walcott’s deflected strike gave the Gunners the lead on the stroke of half-time and Olivier Giroud put the hosts in control with a clinical strike just after the break.
Lincoln’s dreams of a fight back were dashed when Luke Waterfall scored an own goal, turning in Kieran Gibbs’ cross.
Alexis Sanchez added a brilliant fourth, expertly placing the ball beyond Lincoln goalkeeper Paul Farman’s reach, before Aaron Ramsey completed the win when he tapped in from Sanchez’s cross.
It was ultimately a routine victory for Arsenal and perhaps eased some of the pressure on Arsene Wenger, who is bidding for his seventh FA Cup triumph as Gunners boss.
The other FA Cup quarterfinals match also played earlier Saturday saw Manchester City beat Middlesbrough 2-0 at the Riverside Stadium.
Goals from David Silva and Sergio Aguero gave Manchester City a deserved win over Middlesbrough and earned Pep Guardiola’s side a place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
City have reached the last four of the FA Cup for the first time in four years as Guardiola aims to win some silverware in his first season in English football.
The Spanish manager also had the luxury of taking off Sane and Aguero before City play the second leg of their last-16 Champions League tie in Monaco on Wednesday. City hold a 5-3 lead after a thrilling first leg. A protest was held before the Arsenal-Lincoln game by around 200 fans urging the club not to give the 67-year-old a new contract when his current contract expires this summer.
With banners reading “Wexit” and “Time for change,” the disgruntled supporters gathered at the club’s old Highbury stadium before marching to the Emirates.
Wenger had said that fans’ opinion will be a factor when he decides whether to stay on, while club chairman Sir Chips Keswick issued a statement that a decision will be taken “mutually” and communicated “at the right time.”
On Saturday, fans finished their march in front of the entrance that club directors and VIP guests use at the Emirates Stadium, chanting “We want Wenger out.”
