Southampton pulled off a shocking FA Cup quarter-final upset on Saturday April, 4, 2026, by defeating Arsenal 2-1 at St Mary’s and handing the Gunners a major blow in their pursuit of a historic quadruple.
Ross Stewart opened the scoring for the hosts in the 35th minute, finishing a clinical move to give Southampton an early lead. Arsenal responded after the break through Viktor Gyökeres, who calmly converted in the 68th minute to level the match.
However, Arsenal’s hopes were dashed late on when Shea Charles struck in the 85th minute, sending Southampton into the semi-finals and leaving Arsenal to focus solely on the Premier League and Champions League.
Despite controlling 64% of possession, Arsenal struggled to convert their dominance into goals. The Gunners had 4 shots on target and 3 off target, while Southampton managed 7 on target and 6 off. Arsenal also led in corners, 9-4, and threw in 10 times compared to Southampton’s 7.
The match was tightly contested, with fouls fairly even at 9 for Arsenal and 11 for Southampton, and yellow cards shared.
The defeat marks another missed opportunity for Arsenal to extend their trophy haul this season, leaving their quadruple ambitions reduced to a double.
Arsenal holds the record for the most FA Cup titles, having won the competition 14 times. Their dominance in the tournament has made them one of the most successful clubs in its history. Their most recent triumph came in 2020, when they beat Chelsea FC 2-1 in the final at Wembley.
