Arteta's methods taking hold as Arsenal advances in FA Cup

Arsenal’s youngsters turned on the style in scoring two flowing team goals in a 2-1 win over Bournemouth that secured a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

The methods of recently hired manager Mikel Arteta looked to be taking hold as 18-year-old left back Bukayo Saka finished off a sweeping move with a thunderous shot in off the crossbar in the fifth minute.

More great passing and movement ended with 20-year-old striker Eddie Nketiah, who recently returned to the club after a loan spell at second-tier Leeds, stroking in a close-range finish in the 26th.

Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez celebrates after seeing his side score their second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, England, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. (John WaltonPA via AP)

Sam Surridge set up a tense finish with a goal for Bournemouth in the fourth minute of second-half injury time, but Arsenal held on to book a last-16 match against third-tier Portsmouth in early March.

It is a month since Arteta took charge of his first game as Arsenal manager - in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Dec. 26 - and a return to Vitality Stadium gave an indication of the team’s progress under the Spaniard.

The evidence suggests things are looking up for the north London club, which didn’t even need its two star strikers - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (suspended) and Alexandre Lacazette (unused substitute) - to get past its fellow Premier League side.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, left, and Bournemouth's Harry Wilson battle for the ball during the English FA Cup fourth round soccer match between AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, England, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020. (John WaltonPA via AP)

Arteta also rested important first-teamers such as midfielder Lucas Torreira and goalkeeper Bernd Leno, choosing to field a young side that especially impressed in the first half.

Bournemouth came back into the game after halftime but didn’t seriously test Arsenal backup goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez until Surridge's goal, even after Arsenal center back Shkodran Mustafi was carried off on a stretcher in the 62nd minute with an ankle injury.

Arsenal ended a run of three straight draws under Arteta, and is unbeaten in its last six games.

The loss means Bournemouth can focus on staying in the Premier League. Eddie Howe’s team is in the relegation zone with 14 games left.

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Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus scored more goals in 53 minutes on Saturday than he had in the previous eight months in the English Premier League.

Becoming the first player in the league to score four goals in one game this season, Jesus led City to a 5-1 thrashing of Watford to open a four-point lead over second-placed Liverpool in the title race.

Liverpool can trim that back to one point with five matches left by beating Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday.

Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his fourth goal, his side's fifth, during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Watford at Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoJon Super)

Jesus scored three goals in the league before the arrival of next-to-last Watford for a match that ended up resembling a training exercise.

The Brazil international netted twice in the first half and twice more in the opening eight minutes of the second half — one of which was a penalty to complete his hat trick.

Rodri scored the other goal for City, which used the match to give key players a rest ahead of Real Madrid's visit in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes reacts after failing to score from a penalty kick during an English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Manchester United at the Emirates stadium in London, Saturday April 23, 2022. (AP PhotoAlastair J. Grant)

While City stayed on course for the title, fierce rival Manchester United likely dropped out of the race for Champions League qualification.

By losing at Arsenal 3-1, United fell six points behind its top-four rival and manager Ralf Rangnick all but called time on his team's season.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic to dream and think of the top four," Rangnick said at the end of a week when United also lost at Liverpool 4-0 and hired a new manager, Ajax's Erik ten Hag, for the start of next season.

Arsenal moved into fourth, three points above north London rival Tottenham, which visited Brentford late.

In other games, last-placed Norwich plunged closer to relegation with a 3-0 loss at home to Newcastle, while mid-table teams Leicester and Aston Villa drew 0-0.

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