Arsenal went through after,Substitute Daniel Ceballos fired Arsenal into the FA Cup semi-finals with a stoppage-time goal that sealed a 2-1 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
Arsenal, record 13-times winners of the trophy, went ahead after 23 minutes when Chris Basham fouled Alexandre Lacazette in the penalty area and Pepe rattled home the spot-kick.
The gunners struggled in the second half as Sheffield United fired long balls into the penalty area aimed at the head of striker Oliver McBurnie.
United keeper Dean Henderson almost scored with a wind-assisted kick that bounced and narrowly cleared the Arsenal crossbar, to the relief of his opposite number Emiliano Martinez.
With their defence under pressure, Arsenal lost David Luiz to injury and the game looked to be heading for extra time when David McGoldrick equalised in the 87th minute, hooking home a volley after the visitors failed to clear a corner
But Ceballos popped up to slot home the winner and lift Arsenal, who are ninth in the Premier League table, one place below Sheffield United.
In the third quarter final match at King Power stadiumEight-times FA Cup winners Chelsea reached the semi-finals as midfielder Ross Barkley came off the bench to secure a deserved 1-0 victory at faltering Leicester City. Barkley, one of the three changes manager Frank Lampard made at halftime, slid home the winner in the 63rd minute as the west London side set up a semi-final against Manchester United.
Leicester were the better side before the break and had the bulk of the chances against a lethargic Chelsea, but the visitors were a different proposition after the interval.
Tammy Abraham had a goal ruled out for offside and then Barkley found space in the area to clip Willian’s measured cross past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel just past the hour.
Leicester, without the creativity of attacking midfielder James Maddison who was missing with a hip problem, struggled to respond although they did mount some belated late pressure.
Chelsea have been buoyant since the season resumed following the novel coronavirus stoppage, winning both of their Premier League games to consolidate fourth place and they now have a Cup semi-final to look forward to.
Leicester on the other hand have struggled to rediscover their rhythm, drawing twice in the league, and while they are still third, other teams are breathing down their neck.
“It was important to get the win and keep the momentum going,” Barkley said. “At halftime we said it’s not good enough and to be vocal on the pitch, and we improved.”
It was the third of this year’s FA Cup quarter-finals to be won by the away side and how Leicester could have done with the noisy support they usually receive at the King Power Stadium.
Elsewhere holders Manchester City cruised past Newcastle into semis after, Kevin de Bruyne’s first-half penalty and a superb strike by Raheem Sterling after the break earned holders Manchester City a comfortable 2-0 win away at Newcastle United in the weekend’s last FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
One minute later Sterling curled home a delightful effort to seal City’s progress and set up a semi-final against Arsenal.
All four of this year’s Cup quarter-finals, all played behind closed doors, were won by the away team — the first time that has happened since 1987.
Manchester United will face Chelsea in the other semi-final.
“We are in the semi-finals. It was not easy to attack against a team defending so deep but it was a good performance. I am happy to go back to London, to Wembley,” City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters.
