Both Arsenal and Everton were trying to keep alive their hopes of ending long waits for a trophy when they met in an FA Cup quarter-final at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.
After an action-packed even first half, it was Arsenal who ran away with the game late on to progress to a semi-final at Wembley.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by-minute updates below.
11.46amMorning all! It's probably the pick of the FA Cup quarter-finals as Arsenal host Everton for a place in the last four. Some interesting team news is just reaching us, with a certain Yaya Sanogo in the Gunners' starting lineup.
11.48am
Arsenal team v Everton #efcafc pic.twitter.com/ZKmiRAV0qr
— Everton (@Everton) March 8, 2014
11.49amARSENAL XI: Fabianski; Sagna, Metesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Arteta, Flamini; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Cazorla; Sanogo
11.50amEVERTON XI: Joel; Coleman, Stones, Distin, Baines; McCarthy, Barry; Mirallas, Barkley, Pienaar; Lukaku
11.51amARSENAL SUBS: Viviano, Jenkinson, Rosicky, Ryo, Podolski, Giroud, Gnabry
11.52amEVERTON SUBS: Hibbert, McGeady, Deulofeu, Naismith, Osman, Howard, Browning
11.54amGot to say that I'm really excited by both of those starting lineups. Both managers go with their second-choice keepers, but apart from that both teams are pretty strong. For Arsenal, Yaya Sanogo leads the line ahead of Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski and based on what the Frenchman did against Bayern Munich recently, he could cause Everton plenty of problems.
11.56amEverton boss Roberto Martinez probably names his best available XI, bar the goalkeeper. They're missing Phil Jagielka at centre-back, with youngster John Stones alongside Sylvain Distin. Further forward, Ross Barkley is chosen ahead of Leon Osman in the middle of the three attack-minded midfielders behind big striker Romelu Lukaku.
11.59amREFEREE WATCH: The man with the whistle today is Mark Clattenburg.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images12.03pmThis game is the only one of the four quarter-finals taking place today. The other three occur tomorrow and if you didn't already know, these are the ties:
Sheffield United vs. Charlton Athletic
Hull City vs. Sunderland
Manchester City vs. Wigan Athletic
Sheffield United vs. Charlton Athletic
Hull City vs. Sunderland
Manchester City vs. Wigan Athletic
12.06pmThe draw for the semi-finals takes place at about 4pm tomorrow and whoever gets through today will want to face the winner of the Sheffield United-Charlton match as that should almost guarantee a place in the final.
12.10pmELSEWHERE: There's another top-level match kicking off in a little over half an hour at The Hawthorns. West Brom are facing Man United in the Premier League and I recommend that you open this link in a new tab to join Jack Prescott so you can follow that game too!
12.13pmOne absentee that I haven't mentioned yet is Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, who could be out for six weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in his left foot from a tackle by Denmark's Daniel Agger while in action for England on Wednesday night.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images12.17pmFORM: Neither side comes into this game in the best of form:
ARSENAL: LWLWDL
EVERTON: WLWLWL
ARSENAL: LWLWDL
EVERTON: WLWLWL
12.20pmSurprisingly, this is the first meeting between these two in the FA Cup for 33 years! Everton won that year and they have won two of the three FA Cup matches between the two.
12.24pmLAST TIME OUT: These two have only played once so far in the league this season and that day Everton earned a draw at the Emirates thanks to a lovely late goal from Barcelona loanee Gerard Deulofeu. That day he came off the bench and again today he sits in the dugout. Beware, Arsenal.
© Getty Images
© Getty Images12.27pmIt's a balmy early spring day in London today, with temperatures around the 15-degree mark. Nice conditions for top-quality football.
12.31pmToffees manager Roberto Martinez tells ITV Sport that his side must draw on their good performance at the Emirates back in December. He says that their defeats on the road at big clubs have been because of "small margins", adding that his side must do better in the final third.
12.35pmPREDICTION TIME! Although Everton haven't won away at Arsenal for 19 games, they have drawn their last two and I expect them to do so again today to earn a replay. There have been plenty of goals in recent FA Cup games involving Everton so I'm going to go with a 2-2 draw.
12.38pmGunners boss Arsene Wenger says that his side are looking to respond to last week's limp performance at Stoke City. He adds that Everton's excellent performance at the Emirates in December provided a "warning".
12.40pmThe two teams will be emerging from the tunnel very shortly:
12.41pmThe two teams are just limbering up in the belly of the Emirates. Former Toffee Mikel Arteta high-fives a couple of his former teammates.
12.44pmExpect the five-and-a-half thousand Everton fans in the away end to make plenty of noise. Here we go!
0 minKICKOFF! The visitors get us underway under the sunshine in North London.
2 minEarly break in play as Arteta inadvertently forearms Barry in the face. The veteran midfielder is a little dazed and receiving treatment but I expect him to be able to continue.
4 minBarry is now back on the field and it's Everton who are seeing much more of the ball early on. Barkley looking to find space between the lines.
7 minGOAL! ARSENAL 1-0 EVERTON (OZIL)
7 minIt's a first goal in three months for the German as he rolls the ball into the far corner after being fed by Cazorla. The chance came after McCarthy slipped over when trying to intercept the ball, allowing Cazorla to streak clear and feed his mate. Moments earlier Everton were threatening in the other box and you have to say that that is completely against the run of play.
9 minAll of a sudden, Everton look a little worried and cheaply conceded possession before Sanogo fires a powerful shot towards the near post where Joel parries it out.
10 minSHOT! Next to try his luck for the Gunners is Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose snapshot from 25 yards is beated away by Joel.
11 minCHANCE! Barry lifts the ball into Mirallas, who produces a superb low cutback for Pienaar. It looks like the South African will have a great chance to shoot but he's challenged by Sagna at the last moment. There's not many appeals from Everton, but that could have been a penalty.
14 minBarkley had a great game at the Emirates back in December and he is again looking dangerous for the Blues. He drives down the left before fizzing over a low cross that Lukau can't outmuscle Vermaelen to reach.
17 minCLOSE! Arsenal work the ball well down the left before Cazorla finds the run of Gibbs bursting into the box. The left-back strikes it well with his right foot and it's heading goalwards until Stones sticks out a leg to divert it away.
20 min
PHOTO (via Getty): Mesut Ozil rolls the ball into the bottom corner to make it 1-0 to @Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/AMuZXjJ3CC
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 8, 2014
22 minVery dodgy moment from Joel, who punches a high ball under absolutely no pressure. The Spaniard has looked very uneasy early on.
24 minOFF THE BAR! I said he was looking uneasy, and Joel has almost conceded a hilarious own goal by tipping Sagna's cross against his own crossbar! The ball was going wide of goal so there was no reason why he needed to touch it!
25 minBOOKING! The first man in the book is Flamini, who slid in nastily and late on Stones a couple of minutes ago when Everton were on the break.
29 minAfter the electric first 20 minutes or so, the game has now settled down a bit. Arsenal are looking the more dangerous but they're struggling to create anything against Everton's intense defence.
32 minGOAL! ARSENAL 1-1 EVERTON (LUKAKU)
32 minIt's brilliant from Barkley as he breaks from inside his own third before picking out Mirallas at the back post. The Belgian fluffs his lines with his close-range finish but luckily international teammate Lukaku is right there to tap in from a couple of yards. That really was superb play from Barkley.
34 minSAVE! Arsenal try to respond immediate through Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose rising left-foot drive is well-saved at the near post by Joel.
35 minCHANCE! So, five minutes ago I said that this game had quietened down but now it's end-to-end action. Everton almost complete a quickfire turnaround as Lukaku slips in Mirallas on the inside-left channel. The winger cuts inside from the left and shoots straight at Fabianski when he could have returned to Lukaku, who had carried on his run into the box.
1.23pmUPDATE: There's been a breakthrough in the Premier League match at The Hawthorns too, with Phil Jones putting United in front against West Brom.
40 minHe couldn't miss...
PHOTO Romelu Lukaku levels the scores between #AFC and #EFC at the Emirates pic.twitter.com/3rKzXRPTNz
— FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) March 8, 2014
41 minCLOSE! Ozil clips the ball to the edge of the area where Cazorla takes the ball on the volley first time. His shot is heading goalwards until Distin's block diverts it wide of the goal.
43 minCHANCE! Oxlade-Chamberlain carelessly gives the ball away and Everton have a three-on-two situation on the break. Lukaku has Barkley to the left and Mirallas to the right but instead delays and delays before Oxlade-Chamberlain gets back to make a brilliant tackle just as the Belgian was about to shoot.
45+1 minTwo minutes added on to what has been an enthralling first half at the Emirates. Hopefully more of the same after the break.
45+3 minHALF-TIME: ARSENAL 1-1 EVERTON
1.35pmI predicted a great game between two exciting sides and they've delivered just that. Arsenal took the lead early on through Mesut Ozil before Ross Barkley's brilliant surging run led to Romelu Lukaku equalising.
1.38pmHere's the Everton fans a little earlier setting off some blue smoke. They've been excellent in the first half, creating a top atmosphere inside the Emirates.
Everton fans at Arsenal today. #efc pic.twitter.com/iAhx2X34Ga
— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) March 8, 2014
1.41pmIf you're only just joining us and don't want to wade through the first-half updates, check out our concise half-time report here.
1.44pmMy pre-match prediction of a 2-2 draw is certainly on the cards at the moment. However, both sides are definitely playing for the victory and you can tell that neither particularly fancies a replay. Everton feel that they can get it done today while Arsenal will know that their chances of going through will be reduced if they have to travel to Goodison.
1.46pmUPDATE: It remains 1-0 to Manchester United in the early Premier League game. That one's also at half time and you can read up about the first half here.
46 minKICKOFF! No changes from either manager at half time as Arsenal get us back underway at the Emirates.
49 minSlow start to the second half. Arsenal have just had the first shot through Oxlade-Chamberlain, who tried to volley Sagna's deflected cross first-time but made poor contact.
51 minEverton definitely look like they're sitting back more than they did in the first half. Pienaar has just conceded a free kick close to the box that Arteta will swing in...
52 minThe former Everton man's delivery is behind most in the area though and Everton are able to head out.
53 minPlenty of Arsenal pressure, but little to worry Everton as Cazorla's left-foot volley is sliced high and wide after Ozil's free kick had been headed out.
54 minCHANCE! Big, big chance for Everton to take the lead as Vermaelen fails to clear on the touchline and Lukaku bursts into the box. He delays before cutting it back to Barkley, who should at least put it on target but leans back a little and curls it just over the top.
57 minSAVE! Arsenal have numbers down the left-hand side and Cazorla uses the decoy run of Gibbs on the wing to cut inside before firing towards the far corner. It might not have been creeping inside the post but Joel takes no chances and tips it away.
61 minARSENAL SUB: Wenger is the first to blink in terms of a substitution, bringing on Olivier Giroud for Yaya Sanogo up front.
63 minExtremely patient Arsenal buildup ends as Distin slides in to make a great tackle on Giroud in the area to stop the Frenchman diverting Ozil's low cross goalwards.
66 minPENALTY TO ARSENAL! Barry trips Oxlade-Chamberlain.
67 minGOAL! ARSENAL 2-1 EVERTON (ARTETA, PEN.)
67 minScrap that! Giroud moved too early into the box and has been booked for infringement. Arteta will have to retake it.
68 minGOAL! ARSENAL 2-1 EVERTON (ARTETA, PEN.)
68 minArteta goes to the other side but it's the same result. The penalty was awarded when Barry stuck a leg out and clearly tripped Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box.
70 minBOOKING! McCarthy is the first Everton man to be cautioned for persistent fouling.
73 minA couple of dodgy moments from Fabianski as first he flaps at Baines's vicious cross before gathering Mirallas's shot at the second attempt. Everton responding well to falling behind for a second time.
74 minSurely Martinez must be thinking about bringing on Deulofeu soon? He made the difference when he came on the last time these two played, remember.
75 minBarkley loves a shot and curls his latest effort a yard or so wide from Barry's cutback. Fabianski never looked that worried.
76 minEVERTON SUBS: Martinez does make some changes but neither of the two coming on is Deulofeu. Leon Osman and Aiden McGeady are the two who come on for Pienaar and Mirallas. Pienaar appears to be carrying an injury.
78 minARSENAL SUB: Wenger makes a sub soon after, taking off the tireless Oxlade-Chamberlain for Tomas Rosicky, who this week signed a new contract with the Gunners.
79 min
PHOTO (via PA): Mikel Arteta wheels away after scoring his retaken penalty. pic.twitter.com/ce89ndCd52
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 8, 2014
82 minInto the final 10 minutes we go with Arsenal leading this game by a narrow margin. The Gunners look fairly comfortable at the moment but are hardly in the semi-finals yet.
83 minGOAL! ARSENAL 3-1 EVERTON (GIROUD)
83 minSurely game over now? It's a poor goal for Everton to concede as they allow Sagna loads of space in the area and then simply fail to pick up Giroud in the middle. Sagna's low cross is firm and beats the blue shirts around him, allowing French teammate Giroud the simplest of finishes.
85 minGOAL! ARSENAL 4-1 EVERTON (GIROUD)
85 minThe Gunners are going to Wembley! This scoreline is harsh on Everton but it's a lovely goal from the hosts as they break quickly through Rosicky then Ozil, who squares perfectly for Giroud to sidefoot past Joel into the net.
87 minBy the way, in between the two goals Deulofeu was brought on but there's too little time and too big a deficit for him to affect the game now.
88 minGiroud almost completes a quickfire hat-trick but curls his shot a yard or so wide of the upright.
88 minARSENAL SUB: Final change from Wenger as he sends on Jenkinson for Gibbs.
90+1 minThree minutes more are signalled by the fourth official. Arsenal will just want a good draw tomorrow so that they have the best chance of progressing to the final. The winner of the Sheffield United-Charlton quarter-final is definitely the most appealing.
90+3 minFULL-TIME: ARSENAL 4-1 EVERTON
2.36pmIt's Arsenal who progress to the semi-finals and that's now Everton, Liverpool and Tottenham who have been beaten by the Gunners in the FA Cup. Are they going to end their nine-year wait for a trophy this year?
2.38pmWe need to dash from this commentary but thanks for joining us for updates. Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. I'll leave you with the link for today's live scores and our commentaries of the Premier League kickoffs at 3pm. Enjoy!
