Leicester 0-0 Arsenal
(Leic win 6-5 on penalties)

Leicester sent Arsenal crashing out of the FA Cup at Filbert Street, thanks to two fine saves from Pegguy Arphexad.

The substitute goalkeeper blocked penalties from Lee Dixon and Gilles Grimandi to book the home side a fifth round clash against Chelsea, after the shoot out had gone into sudden-death.

In a match of vastly differing halves, Leicester manager Martin O'Neill will thank both his goalkeepers for securing another fantastic result.

A number of magnificent saves from Flowers undoubtedly kept the Midlanders in the game and Arphexad proved an able deputy when he took the field at full-time.

There were few realistic chances in the opening half, though Leicester went closest through Darren Eadie and Emile Heskey.

O'Neill's side took early command in the middle of the park and a through ball from Theo Zagorakis found Eadie whose low cross-shot was only just wide of the far post.

Little was seen of Arsenal as an attacking threat in the first 20 minutes, though it was Leicester keeper Flowers who was called upon to make the first save.

Patrick Vieira broke forward from the centre of the park and Flowers, recovered sufficiently from a knee injury to play, went down to hold onto his low 20-yard drive.

It marked the most exciting moment of the half.

Leicester, despite a reasonable attempt from Emile Heskey, were unable to break down the Gunners' backline.

On the half-hour, Arsenal were awarded a free-kick in a promising position, but Emmanuel Petit's effort flew high over the bar - and summed up a below-par first 45 minutes by the visitors.

Brighter start

The Gunners looked brighter after the break, holding the ball up more confidently in midfield.

Nevertheless, the first chance again came to Leicester when Heskey headed wide, after a fine cross from Guppy.

Malz was then yellow-carded for deliberately tripping up Oakes, before Flowers produced a brilliant save after Parlour hit a fine volley from the edge of the box.

Guppy was replaced with Graham Fenton after 70 minutes, only for the substitute to hammer a cross high over the bar when Heskey had found space in the middle.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Suker missed an open goal, from point-blank range, after Steven Hughes had put him in space on the back post.

A tap-in would have been sufficient. Instead, however, Suker blasted the ball over the crossbar to the horror of the travelling fans.

Flowers received a standing ovation when he was substituted at the turn-around.

And Arphexad made his presence felt immediately, snatching the ball from the feet of Vieira, after a poor first touch from the Frenchman.

With just two minutes of extra-time to go, Elliot denied Petit with a superb tackle on the edge of the area.

A fine Taggart effort from a late corner was cleared away by Dixon, before Arphexad stopped a low strike from Vieira on time.

The clash would have to be decided on penalties.

Arnar Gunnlaugsson took the first, sending Seaman the wrong way.

Suker retaliated and Savage put Leicester back in front, before Arphexad guessed right to save Dixon's shot away to his left.

Leicester could have wrapped up proceedings earlier, had Seaman not saved Stefan Oakes' shot.

But when Arphexad dived low to his right to save Grimandi's effort it sealed the win for Leicester and sent the home crowd wild.

Teams:

Leicester: Flowers, Taggart, Gilchrist, Elliott, Guppy, Gunnlaugsson, Savage, Oakes, Zagorakis, Heskey, Eadie. Subs: Campbell, Fenton, Arphexad, Goodwin, Jordan.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Silvinho, Grimandi, Vieira, Parlour, Petit, Malz, Suker, Henry. Subs: Winterburn, Manninger, Luzhny, Hughes, Barrett.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds)