Arsenal cruise into FA Cup's fourth round

LEEDS, England (AP):

Arsenal advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over second-tier club Leeds yesterday.

Samir Nasri, Bacary Sagna and Robin van Persie scored the goals that set up a meeting with Huddlesfield on January 30 at Emirates Stadium.

Former Arsenal trainee Bradley Johnson scored a consolation goal for Leeds in the third-round replay just before half-time, striking from 25 yards past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

"We wanted to start really strongly. We scored after five minutes and tried to play our game even though the pitch was a little difficult," Nasri said. "We want to win every competition and this cup is really important to us."

Arsenal are chasing their first trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2005, but manager Arsene Wenger made six changes from the side that beat West Ham on Saturday to keep the team third in the English Premier League.

Rarely troubled

Arsenal struggled against Leeds at home in a 1-1 draw this month and lost 1-0 in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Ipswich last week.

But Arsenal were rarely troubled at Leeds despite an uncomfortable early spell - thanks to Nasri, who controlled the midfield.

It took less than five minutes for the France international to make an impact and score his 14th goal of the season.

Andrei Arshavin played a key role in the move, with Marouane Chamakh stepping over his pass to allow Nasri to dance through and slip the ball to the side of Kasper Schmeichel.

Leeds, however, kept up the pressure, with goalkeeper Schmeichel producing a fine save, scooping Chamakh's downward header off the line.

The Morocco forward continued to trouble Leeds with a blistering run down the right flank and penetrating ball that Arshavin failed to turn over the line.

Schmeichel to the rescue

The Russia international tried to make amends but once more Schmeichel came to the rescue, turning aside his fierce low strike.

Sagna fired home into the top corner with the outside of his right foot in the 35th minute to make it 2-0.

But Leeds, who had barely ventured into Arsenal's half, revived hopes of a comeback after pulling one back through a long-range strike from Johnson, who began his football life as an Arsenal schoolboy but was released at 15.

At the start of the second half, Schmeichel had to be alert to keep out Nasri's free kick.

But with 15 minutes to go Wenger sent on Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie.

Fabregas almost immediately forced Schmeichel into a save from a direct free kick and Van Persie's first touch produced a goal.

The Netherlands forward headed into the net from Nicklas Bendtner's cross.

"We were much superior to them," Fabregas said. "They were dangerous for a spell after they scored, but Arsenal played fantastic football."