Giroud to the rescue as Gunners leave it late to sink Preston
STAND-IN captain Olivier Giroud put the seal on a spirited Arsenal comeback last night as FA Cup specialist Arsene Wenger maintained his record of never having lost a third-round tie.
Championship side Preston had given their illustrious visitors a major scare by taking an early lead through Callum Robinson and they went close to adding a second on several occasions.
But Ramsey levelled in the opening minute of the second half by beating two defenders and firing an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box.
Then, Giroud — wearing the armband in Laurent Koscielny’s absence — struck for the fourth game in a row from close range as Preston wilted.
A hint of fog hung over the famous old stadium giving it a mystical air ripe for a giant-killing. And, after seven minutes, the atmosphere went up a notch when Robinson exploited hesitation in Arsenal’s back four to drive low past understudy goalkeeper David Ospina.
Aiden McGeady instigated the move with a lovely dragback and pass to Jordan Hugill. The Preston player could not keep it under control but Robinson anticipated the break of the ball better than anyone in the Gunners defence.
Giroud’s leadership came under the spotlight, but it is not his style to react to adversity by grabbing teammates by the throat.
Indeed, Preston continued to carry the greater threat, even if Arsenal saw a lot of the ball, and Robinson’s pace gave Ainsley Maitland-Niles nightmares down the Arsenal right.
Midway through the half, Wenger was indebted to Shkodran Mustafi for blocking a Robinson header which would have made it 2-0. Preston went even closer on 25 minutes when Robinson fired in a cross from the byline that Hugill somehow failed to convert on the slide.
Belatedly, Arsenal found some of their usual attacking flow but they often overplayed in front of goal. And they nearly paid the price when Paul Gallagher bravely lobbed Ospina as the goalkeeper rushed out to meet him. Mustafi saved Arsenal by racing back to clear off the line.
The visitors were left feeling even sorrier for themselves when Gabriel ended the half bloodied after being caught in the face by Hugill’s arm.
Perhaps Wenger broke with his normal reserve and tore into his players at the interval because their response was immediate.
Within 52 seconds, the Londoners were level. The previously anonymous Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain burst down the left with intent and, when his cross was only half-cleared, Alex Iwobi laid off the ball and Ramsey struck with unerring accuracy from 12 yards.
Arsenal then won it as Preston tired. Lucas Perez found Giroud with a clever backheel in the box as the Frenchman’s deflected shot won the tie.