Welcome the final FA Cup fixture of the day. But of course, as much as both of these sides will want to win a trophy to lay a marker and as with Chelsea earlier, this is about so much more than the FA Cup. Particularly for Arsenal. It’s about arresting an alarming decline and potentially saving Arsene Wenger’s legacy. Yes, it does seem to have gone that bad at the Emirates. As it stands, all they have to play for is fourth place in the Premier League and this: their last chance of a first trophy in seven years. By contrast, Sunderland have looked like very difficult opposition of late and the FA Cup would be an apt sign of progress in Martin O’Neill’s first season with the club. Moreover, there’s an interesting dynamic to this given that Arsenal beat Sunderland at the death last week – in what seemed like a potentially season-changing victory. The Black Cats are presented with an immediate chance to reverse that in every sense.

The teams:

Sunderland: Mignolet, Bardsley, O’Shea, Turner, Richardson, Larsson, Cattermole, Gardner, Colback, McClean, Sessegnon. Subs: Westwood, Bridge, Campbell, Ji, Meyler, Kyrgiakos, Elmohamady.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Djourou, Vermaelen, Coquelin, Song, Arteta, Gervinho, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, van Persie. Subs: Szczesny, Rosicky, Walcott, Squillaci, Arshavin, Chamakh, Benayoun.

Howard Webb is reffing.

And it’s off.

Good start Arsenal. Plenty of intent. They look very eager to make amends for Wednesday, winning a corner within seconds.

Arteta fires a free-kick just wide from 30 yards. It was dipping dangeorously.

It’s a lively game as Sunderland have responded well to Arsenal’s initial burst. Sessegnon typically looking commanding and exciting.

Coquelin appears to have done his hamstring. Injuries get worse for Arsenal. it’ll be a centre-half – likely Squillaci – at left-back.

Interesting stat here from Infostrada: in 18 meetings between Wenger and O’Neill, the Sunderland manager has only won one game. They’ve drawn eight with Wenger taking the majority. A real chance for Sunderland to start reversing that today.

At the minute, Arsenal are struggling to get the ball out of their own half as Sunderland try and test that patched-together defence.

Arsenal at last break with Gervinho bringing a fine save from Mignolet. Good break Arsenal. But boy did they need that lift after a trying last few minutes.

Great ball there from Van Persie, it must be said.

Arsenal should have had a penalty as John O’Shea took down Robin van Persie. Cue Howard Webb joke about United players etc etc… the referee waved it away.

GOAL! Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal

More awful Arsenal defending but great technique from Kieran Richardson. A James McClean free-kick is whipped in, it’s halfway cleared but only to the corner of the box and Richardson. There should be sufficient time for Arsenal to close him down but their defenders seem to slacken off, allowing Richardson to volley the ball into the corner superbly.

Wenger looks crestfallen.

And could have been 2-0! James McClean pokes the ball the wrong side of the post after a sweeping Sunderland attack.

HALF-TIME: Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal

Sunderland deserve their lead and, despite a decent start and a penalty call, Arsenal have been underwhelming and under the cosh.

Second half under way. A big 45 minutes for Arsenal.

The second half begins as the first ended, with Sunderland on top.

Rosicky warming up for Arsenal, just four minutes into the second half.

Walcott and Rosicky on for Ramsey and Squillaci.

Arsenal still not looking right as its Sunderland who do all the running and attacking.

Van Persie drills a free-kick from distance but it takes a deflection and goes out for a corner. Arsenal finally growing. They must.

Arteta clips a free-kick in for Arsenal, Thomas Vermaelen gets a good connection but Mignolet collects. It was at this point last week that Arsenal started toturn the screw.

GOAL! Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal

And is that it! A brilliant breakaway from Sessegnon, who brushes Arteta aside. His pass is probably a little too heavy but it fell for Larsson whohit the post. The ball bounced back but Oxlade-Chamberlain could do little as he desperately tried to get back and clear, the ball hitting off him and bobbling over the line. Agonising for Arsenal.

Theo Walcott has touched the ball four times according to Opta.

This is sorry stuff for Arsenal. It really has reached crisis point. Also illustrates that the autumn/early winter form was only papering over the cracks.

This will only be O’Neill’s second win over Wenger too, remember. The rivalry (they reportedly loathe each other), will feel very irrelevant to the Frenchman today.

FULL-TIME: Sunderland 2-0 Arsenal

No trophy for Arsenal this season. Another sorry performance. As Clive Tyldsley sums it up: “You knew what you were going to get from Sunderland today. You didn’t know what you were going to get from Arsenal.” Perfect. And let the recriminations begin.