Southampton march on: unbeaten run continues after Arsenal shock | OneFootball

Southampton's remarkable unbeaten run stretched to 15 matches across all competitions on Saturday evening as Shea Charles’ late strike secured a stunning FA Cup quarter-final victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal and booked Saints a trip to Wembley.

Charles emerged as the hero with a decisive late finish to send Tonda Eckert’s Championship promotion hopefuls into the final four, keeping alive hopes of a historic cup run to rival Lawrie McMenemy’s famous 1976 triumph.

While the result itself shocked many, it also underlined the extraordinary consistency Southampton have built in recent months. The victory over Arsenal extended Saints’ unbeaten streak to 15 matches in all competitions - the longest active run of any Championship side by a considerable margin. Ipswich Town, their closest rivals in that regard, trail some distance behind with a seven-game run.

It is a sequence that reflects the growing belief inside Eckert’s squad as they continue to balance promotion ambitions with a memorable FA Cup campaign.

Arsenal arrived at St Mary’s having lost just four matches all season and sitting nine points clear at the top of the Premier League, but they were unable to halt Southampton’s momentum.

The reward is a Wembley semi-final later this month, with Southampton now waiting to discover whether they will face Manchester City or Chelsea after both Premier League heavyweights progressed.

Saints remain the only non-Premier League side left in the competition, though West Ham and Leeds United are still to meet in Sunday’s remaining quarter-final tie.