Holders Arsenal kept up their bid for a hat-trick of FA Cup trophies, marching into the quarterfinals as Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott netted twice in a 4-0 replay win at second-tier Hull City on Tuesday.
France striker Giroud had not scored in his 11 previous games but made the most of a terrible back pass after 40 minutes and then doubled the lead with 20 minutes remaining following a sharp volley from close range.
Walcott sidefooted the ball home to make it 3-0 before his low drive capped Arsenal’s first win in six games.
Victory though came at a cost for Arsenal, who face Watford in the last eight, as defenders Per Mertesacker and Gabriel and midfielder Aaron Ramsey were forced off through injury.
“I’m a bit shocked, we lost our two centre backs in the game and we lost Aaron Ramsey,” manager Arsene Wenger told BT Sport following his team’s sixth match in a hectic 18-day spell.
“Mertesacker has a cut on his eye and a bit of concussion but he should be fine and Gabriel looks alright. Ramsey, I’m a bit more concerned about because it’s a muscular thigh injury.”
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