Arsenal remember how to score....against a third tier team.

OK I will!

Via Soccernet-Arsenal eased into the fourth round of the Capital One Cup after a searing second-half-fueled 6-1 romp proved too much for visitors Coventry.

The home side made a slow start to the game but took the lead six minutes before halftime as summer signing Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for the club since signing from Montpellier in the offseason.

"It was in everybody's mind that the sooner he gets it the better," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.

"Certainly in his mind, much more than in others' minds. That is positive of course. It was a good finish and he is a good finisher, Olivier.

"At the moment I believe he is looking for confidence again and that goal will help him. I expect him to take that confidence into the Premier League."

Giroud missed a penalty but also set up a goal for Andrei Arshavin after the game was wrapped up courtesy of a superb strike from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ignasi Miquel also struck with a Theo Walcott brace imposing Arsenal's dominance on the scoreline -- Callum Ball scored Coventry's consolation with his team 4-0 down.

Arsenal will travel to Reading in the next round.

Liverpool endured a nervy night, with Sahin scoring his second goal late on at West Bromwich Albion to secure a 2-1 victory after having equalized just before halftime. Just before the on-loan midfielder's winner, Jerome Sinclair became Liverpool's youngest ever player by coming off the bench aged 16 years and six days.

In the fourth round, Liverpool will welcome Swansea to Anfield in a match which will see Reds boss Brendan Rodgers go up against his former club.

In Wednesday's other games, Tottenham dispatched another third-tier club, winning 3-0 at Carlisle.

Norwich progressed with a 1-0 victory over Doncaster. Tottenham will travel to Norwich in the next round.

Also Wednesday, Reading edged Premier League rival Queens Park Rangers with a 3-2 win at Loftus Road.

The Gunners dominated possession in the opening 10 minutes but it was Stephen Elliott who had a great chance to open the scoring for the visitors.

Debutant Franck Moussa skipped past Arsenal youngster Martin Angha and picked out Elliott with a cross that the experienced frontman could only head wide.

Coventry had another decent headed chance when skipper Carl Baker floated a free kick into Richard Wood with 30 minutes gone but the Sky Blues' defender could only direct the ball well over the crossbar.

Arsenal finally forced Joe Murphy to make a save when Giroud controlled Francis Coquelin's pass before firing in a low shot from the edge of the area that the Coventry goalkeeper stopped comfortably.

The France international was on the scoresheet a couple of minutes later as he beat the offside trap to collect the loose ball following a challenge by Coquelin and kept his composure to chip over the onrushing Murphy.

Coventry started the second half brightly but could have fallen further behind only five minutes after the restart.

Reece Brown mistimed his clearance and then challenged Arshavin for the bouncing ball with the Russia international going to ground and referee Michael Jones adjudged that the on-loan Manchester United defender had been fouled.

Giroud stepped up but his low penalty was saved superbly by Murphy, diving low to his right and the resulting corner was headed onto the crossbar by Miquel.

The visitors came close to grabbing a goal of their own but Wood's header from another Baker set-piece bounced wide of Damian Martinez's left-hand post.

The miss proved costly as Arsenal doubled its lead moments later courtesy of a rasping effort from England winger Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 19-year-old collected a ball from Arshavin before firing home from 25 yards.

The former Southampton youngster almost repeated the feat five minutes later but Murphy was able to push his second effort clear.

The third goal followed soon after as Oxlade-Chamberlain and Giroud combined to set up Arshavin to score on his first start of the season.

Only another good save from Murphy denied Arsenal's captain Johan Djourou adding a fourth with a diving header.

Mark Robins' side was determined to give something for its 8,000 travelling fans to cheer and Gary McSheffrey should have pulled a goal back moments later but blazed over from close range.

Emmanuel Frimpong was introduced from the bench with 15 minutes to go, making his return from a long-term knee injury sustained when on-loan at Wolves last season.

Arsenal made it 4-0 moments later when Nico Yennaris played a through-ball to the feet of Walcott, who burst clear of the defense to slot home.

Substitute Ball and McSheffrey shot just wide before it was third time lucky for the Sky Blues when Ball reacted quicker than the Arsenal defense to Baker's cross to reduce the deficit to 4-1.

However, Arsenal soon regained its four-goal advantage as Miquel climbed at the back post to head home Arshavin's pinpoint cross.

Walcott then had two chances to add a sixth goal but hit the side-netting with one effort before forcing a low save out of Murphy.

The England international finally scored his second in the final minute of normal time with a smart finish.

In other matches in the fourth-round draw, Manchester City's conqueror Aston Villa was rewarded for knocking out the Premier League champions with a trip to Swindon.

Leeds, which ended Everton's hopes, will be at home to Southampton.

There will be a northeast derby at the Stadium of Light as Sunderland takes on Middlesbrough -- the teams met in the FA Cup last season.

Wigan will host the lowest-ranked side left in the competition, League Two outfit Bradford.

The ties will be played in the week starting Oct. 29.

Information from Press Association and The Associated Press was used in this report.



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