This is the first meeting between Oxford United and Arsenal since the third round of the FA Cup in 2002-03, which Arsenal won 2-0 with Dennis Bergkamp scoring his 100th goal for the club in the game. The Gunners went on to win the FA Cup that year.
Oxford haven’t scored in any of their last five games against Arsenal in all competitions (D3 L2). The last U’s player to score against Arsenal was Billy Hamilton in a 3-0 win in May 1986 in a top-flight match.
Oxford have only progressed from one of their last eight FA Cup ties against Premier League teams, knocking out Swansea City in the third round in 2015-16.
Arsenal have only been eliminated in two of their last 26 FA Cup third round ties, both times against Nottingham Forest in 2017-18 and 2021-22. The Gunners last went out at this stage in consecutive seasons in 1994-95 (vs Millwall) and 1995-96 (vs Sheffield United).
Arsenal have progressed from their last 13 FA Cup ties against sides from outside the top-two divisions of English football. Wrexham were the last side not in the top-two leagues to eliminate Arsenal in January 1992, winning 2-1 as a fourth tier side. The last third tier side to knock Arsenal out were York City in January 1985.
