Jack Wilshere's late goal was the difference as Arsenal grabbed a narrow 1-0 victory over Swansea in their FA Cup third round replay.
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Arsene Wenger, sensing that Arsenal fans were not happy with their lack of trophies, selected his strongest line-up for this vital replay with Swansea that the Gunners dared not lose.
Arsenal started brightly and Olivier Giroud should have opened the scoring with a volley inside the opening four minutes but scuffed woefully wide.
The rest of the first half was sadly a bit of a non-event as both sides spent much of the time passing the ball around the midfield with no real purpose or sense of adventure.
Wenger's side returned for the second period with renewed vigour and this was typified by the display of a certain Jack Wilshere, who has finally started to find his true form after his lengthy injury lay-off.
The England midfielder was the creative hub for the hosts and laid countless chances on a plate for Giroud and Theo Walcott, but the strikers just couldn't find the finishing touch.
Walcott headed against a post on 82 minutes and it looked like, despite being on the back foot, Swansea might just earn themselves extra time.
However, after seeing his own shot saved by Michel Vorm in superb fashion two minutes prior, Wilshere played a one-two with Santi Cazorla and drilled beyond the keeper with just four minutes left.
Relief around the Emirates and even Michu couldn't rescue Swansea in the minutes that remained, with the visitors looking like they had the Capital One Cup semi-final firmly on their minds.
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