Jack Wilshere’s late strike gave Arsenal a 1-0 FA Cup third-round replay win over Swansea City and Wayne Rooney’s first goal in over a month earned Manchester United a 1-0 victory over West Ham United on Wednesday.
Arsenal wasted a hatful of good chances before sealing the win over Swansea thanks to midfielder Wilshere’s sublime left-foot strike past Michel Vorm four minutes from time following relentless pressure from the home side. Rooney’s routine finish after nine minutes proved good enough for 11-times winners United to move into the fourth round but the England striker also missed a late penalty to make the Premier League leaders sweat in the closing stages. Arsenal, 10-times Cup winners, will travel to Championship (second division) Brighton and Hove Albion in the fourth round on the weekend of January 26-27 and United host Premier League rivals Fulham.
Wilshere, after scoring his first goal for Arsenal since November, said he was delighted with the connection he made with the ball following Olivier Giroud’s superb layoff. “I don’t think I’ll ever hit another one like that in my life. It was a great set up by Olivier. It’s lucky I was there, we couldn’t put it in,” he told ESPN. The London club’s strikers Theo Walcott and Giroud both had shots blocked on the line as the home team mounted relentless attacks in a one-sided second half and Walcott’s glancing header hit the post with time running out. Swansea, who scored a late equaliser to force a replay, had the game’s first good chance when former Arsenal player Kyle Bartley’s header from an inswinging Wayne Routledge cross hit the bar in the 25th minute. Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen forced Vorm into a smart save in the last action of the first half before the home team came out all guns blazing in the second period, to little avail until Wilshere came to the rescue.
Wilshere is easily the best young talent England has and will be the best for them in years to come. Probably very few of British youngsters who are not over rated
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