Saints to Face Gunners in FA Cup after Seeing Off Shrewsbury

In the fourth round of the FA Cup, Southampton will be home to holders Arsenal following a 2-0 win over coronavirus-hit Shrewsbury on Tuesday. 

Dan N'Lundulu marked his first senior start for the Saints at their St Mary's ground in the 17th minute with a maiden goal for the club before James Ward-Prowse of England put the result a minute from time beyond doubt, reports AFP.

As their tie with Arsenal, a rematch of the 2003 FA Cup final won 1-0 by the Gunners, takes place at St Mary's on Saturday, the Saints will have little time to celebrate this win.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, who made seven changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Premier League leaders Leicester, praised his youthful side while accepting a match against Arsenal would be “tougher” for the south coast club.

“Every young lad did a good job,” Hasenhuttl told BT Sport. “You could see in the dressing room that they were a little bit nervous. But they have to be brave, they know what they had to do and it was a good first game for them.”

After a raft of coronavirus cases, third-tier Shrewsbury played their first competitive match since December and were without manager Steve Cotterill after he spent time in intensive care because of Covid-19.

Following an outbreak at the League One club that prompted the postponement of the third-round tie earlier this month, Cotterill was taken to the hospital last week.

Shrewsbury had not played since beating Blackpool on December 29.

“I am really proud of the boys. To be off for 14 days and come back and have three days training for a game against Premier League opposition, I thought they were unbelievable,” said assistant coach Aaron Wilbraham, overseeing the team in Cotterilll’s absence.

“We were always in the game and put them (Southampton) under pressure.”

In the Southampton starting line-up from the side beaten by Leicester, only Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ibrahima Diallo and Ward-Prowse stayed.

When N'Lundulu fired through Scott Golbourne's legs and into the bottom corner, Southampton scored with the first real chance of Tuesday's match, although a VAR search for potential handball was required to confirm the 21-year-goal. old's

The hosts, however, had to wait until the 89th minute for their second goal, when midfielder Ward-Prowse scored with a 25-yard free-kick that Shrews keeper Matija Sarkic got a hand to but could not keep out of the net.