Robin van Persie netted twice from
the penalty spot as Arsenal came from two goals down to beat Aston Villa
3-2 at the Emirates Stadium and book their place in the FA Cup fifth
round.
Richard Dunne and
Darren Bent had put the visitors in command at the break but the Gunners
were given a lifeline at the start of the second half when Dunne
upended Aaron Ramsey, and Van Persie coolly dispatched the resulting
spot-kick.
Within two minutes Theo Walcott had levelled via a fortunate ricochet and then another penalty from their captain completed the turnaround to send Arsene Wenger's men through to the last 16 against Sunderland or Middlesbrough.
Another flowing Arsenal move opened up the Villa defence, but Ramsey stabbed his shot straight at the keeper.
The Gunners were awarded a penalty on
54 minutes Dunne upended Ramsey after he latched onto Alex Song's
through-ball.
Van Persie made no mistake from the spot, sending Given the wrong way as he slotted into the bottom-left corner, to give the tie new life.
Within two minutes, Arsenal were level.
Walcott darted into the right side of the Villa penalty area and stabbed the ball across the goal-line, where Alan Hutton smashed his clearance back against the England forward and it ricocheted into the net.
The Emirates Stadium faithful, so critical of Wenger in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United, were now in full voice as the home side continued to sweep forwards.
Laurent Koscielny burst down the left and into the edge of the Villa box, where he was caught from behind by Bent and again referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot.
Van Persie stepped up once more, this time putting the ball into the bottom right corner for goal number 25 of the season to complete the turnaround on the hour.
Villa were left stunned but to their credit, and roared on by a 5,000-strong travelling contingent, they looked to break quickly through Agbonlahor.
Walcott cut in from the right and Given had to be alert to beat away his angled drive, the rebound falling just behind Van Persie.
Petrov beat the offside trap, but his cutback was booted clear by Mertesacker.
Ciaran Clark glanced a header goalwards, which Fabianski held and the Gunners closed out the final 10 minutes to take their place in round five, faith in manager Wenger restored.
Turnaround: Arsenal celebrate after turning the game on its head
Within two minutes Theo Walcott had levelled via a fortunate ricochet and then another penalty from their captain completed the turnaround to send Arsene Wenger's men through to the last 16 against Sunderland or Middlesbrough.
Captain fantastic: Robin Van Persie grabs
Arsenal's third goal
Arsenal - who
had lost three successive Barclays Premier League games to lose ground
on the top four - started quickly.
Thomas Vermaelen lashed a 25-yard strike goalwards after being set up from a free-kick by Van Persie, though Villa keeper Shay Given touched over.
On 13 minutes, Walcott collected Tomas Rosicky's pass and skipped into the Villa box, but could only blast his shot past the near post.
Despite being pegged back, Villa defended resolutely and looked dangerous on the break through Bent and Keane.
Gabriel Agbonlahor broke away for Villa down the near side, but then sent his cross too deep through the Arsenal penalty area.
Thomas Vermaelen lashed a 25-yard strike goalwards after being set up from a free-kick by Van Persie, though Villa keeper Shay Given touched over.
On 13 minutes, Walcott collected Tomas Rosicky's pass and skipped into the Villa box, but could only blast his shot past the near post.
Despite being pegged back, Villa defended resolutely and looked dangerous on the break through Bent and Keane.
Gabriel Agbonlahor broke away for Villa down the near side, but then sent his cross too deep through the Arsenal penalty area.
Long time ago: Richard Dunne's opener was just
the first goal in a thrilling game
Clumsy: Dunne commits the foul which led to
Arsenal's first penalty
It was no real surprise when the visitors took
the lead on 33 minutes.
A well-worked corner saw Stiliyan Petrov's backheel release Keane, who floated the ball through the Arsenal six-yard box where Dunne got up above a static defence to power in a header.
Arsenal looked for an immediate response, with Given needing two attempts to gather a low shot from Rosicky.
Ramsey ghosted into from the left, and was blocked at the near post by Given.
A well-worked corner saw Stiliyan Petrov's backheel release Keane, who floated the ball through the Arsenal six-yard box where Dunne got up above a static defence to power in a header.
Arsenal looked for an immediate response, with Given needing two attempts to gather a low shot from Rosicky.
Ramsey ghosted into from the left, and was blocked at the near post by Given.
Rebound: Darren Bent has his first shot saved by
Lukasz Fabianski but followed up to score
Through: Van Persie scores the winner
The Villa stopper then beat away
Oxlade-Chamberlain's low, 20-yard strike, before the visitors broke away
to make it 2-0 just before half-time.
Stephen Ireland fed Bent and his angled drive was parried away by Lukasz Fabianski, but the England striker was first to the loose ball and slotted it in from the tightest of angles.
Arsenal had regrouped during
the
interval and were quickly back on the offensive as Per Mertesacker's
header from a corner was cleared off the line by Ireland.Stephen Ireland fed Bent and his angled drive was parried away by Lukasz Fabianski, but the England striker was first to the loose ball and slotted it in from the tightest of angles.
False dawn: Villa seemed in a very strong
position
Another flowing Arsenal move opened up the Villa defence, but Ramsey stabbed his shot straight at the keeper.
Lucky: Theo Walcott celebrates Arsenal's
unlikely equaliser
MATCH FACTS
Arsenal: Fabianski, Coquelin,
Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Henry 89),
Ramsey, Song, Rosicky (Arteta 71), Walcott (Sagna 88), Van Persie.
Subs not used: Szczesny, Park, Henry, Arshavin, Benayoun.
Goals: Van Persie 54 pen, 61 pen, Walcott 57
Bookings: Koscielny
Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov (Bannan 82), Clark, Agbonlahor (Gardner 71), Keane, Bent.
Subs not used: Guzan, Heskey, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker.
Goals: Dunne 33, Bent 45
Bookings: Dunne
Attendance: 60,019
Referee: Mike Jones
Subs not used: Szczesny, Park, Henry, Arshavin, Benayoun.
Goals: Van Persie 54 pen, 61 pen, Walcott 57
Bookings: Koscielny
Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Dunne, Cuellar, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov (Bannan 82), Clark, Agbonlahor (Gardner 71), Keane, Bent.
Subs not used: Guzan, Heskey, Weimann, Lichaj, Baker.
Goals: Dunne 33, Bent 45
Bookings: Dunne
Attendance: 60,019
Referee: Mike Jones
Van Persie made no mistake from the spot, sending Given the wrong way as he slotted into the bottom-left corner, to give the tie new life.
Within two minutes, Arsenal were level.
Walcott darted into the right side of the Villa penalty area and stabbed the ball across the goal-line, where Alan Hutton smashed his clearance back against the England forward and it ricocheted into the net.
The Emirates Stadium faithful, so critical of Wenger in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United, were now in full voice as the home side continued to sweep forwards.
Laurent Koscielny burst down the left and into the edge of the Villa box, where he was caught from behind by Bent and again referee Mike Jones pointed to the spot.
Van Persie stepped up once more, this time putting the ball into the bottom right corner for goal number 25 of the season to complete the turnaround on the hour.
Villa were left stunned but to their credit, and roared on by a 5,000-strong travelling contingent, they looked to break quickly through Agbonlahor.
Walcott cut in from the right and Given had to be alert to beat away his angled drive, the rebound falling just behind Van Persie.
Petrov beat the offside trap, but his cutback was booted clear by Mertesacker.
Ciaran Clark glanced a header goalwards, which Fabianski held and the Gunners closed out the final 10 minutes to take their place in round five, faith in manager Wenger restored.
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