The Worthy winners

The 24-year-old's dreams of a place in Eriksson's World Cup squad have had to take a back seat since Rovers boss Graeme Souness started playing him as a lone-ranger up front.

However, the former Crystal Palace star was back in tandem with old sparring partner Mark Hughes in attack and he responded in stunning style by sinking the Wenger boys with an awesome display of finishing.

Amazingly, it was the first ever hat-trick of Jansen's professional career and the merciless way in which he put Martin Keown to the sword cannot fail to have escaped the attention of a certain Swede in Soho.

But, typically, the former England Under 21 international was quick to praise the role of his team-mates in making the goal-blitz possible at the end of a truly sensational night.

"It was a brilliant feeling to score a hat-trick," said Jansen. "I've scored twice in plenty of games before but I've never, ever bagged three -- apart from in training!

"I just got off to a good start and it then went well from there but everyone played well on the night.

"I thought Besty, Duffer and Tugay were all fantastic in what was a great team performance.

"And it also helped to have Sparky up front putting himself about and upsetting Martin Keown because it's difficult playing up there on your own.

"It's a thankless task at times but we've been getting results that way."

Jansen's deadly finishing deservedly grabbed him the headlines but he was pushed all the way for the man of the match award by midfield duo Keith Gillespie and Tugay.

Barely 48 hours after tearing Leeds apart, Gillespie was at his mesmerising best once again down the right, teasing and tormenting the Gunners defence with some spellbinding wing-play.

But it was the contribution of Tugay, in particular, which had Rovers boss Graeme Souness purring with satisfaction as he reflected on an excellent all-round team performance.

Bristling with invention in the centre of midfield, everything flowed through the Turkish international as he stroked the ball around Ewood with the nonchalance of a grandmaster.

And, revelling in his role as stand-in skipper for the evening, he had a major hand in three of the four goals, begging the question has Souness ever made a better buy?

"Although Matt will get the headlines for his hat-trick, I think Tugay is a very special player," mused Souness.

"I think it's very hard for anyone who's seen him play to argue that he's not up there with the very best.

"He plays the kind of football that very few people in world football can play.

"And he doesn't just do that in patches, he does it consistently week in, week out.

"I'd certainly pay money to see him play because I think he's a delight to watch.

"He was fantastic for me when we were at Galatasaray and he's reproducing that form for us now."

Of course, the cynics will say Arsene Wenger only fielded his reserves with the likes of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Sol Campbell all conspicuous by their absence.

But such is the depth of Wenger's resources, he was still able to call on established internationals in Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Sylvain Wiltord who cost £20 million between them.

And tell me a Premiership manager who wouldn't want a player of Kanu's quality in their squad -- the man Nigeria will pin their hopes on at next summer's World Cup finals.

On the night he barely got a kick, though, as Martin Taylor turned in yet another imperious performance at the heart of Rovers' defence.

Souness, for his part, also took the opportunity to rest one or two of his leading lights with one eye on Saturday's trip to Newcastle.

But even though the Premiership clearly remains his priority, he knows a run in a cup can do wonders for confidence.

And everyone was in desperate need of a lift in the wake of back-to-back home defeats against Middlesbrough and Leeds.

Despite the changes in personnel, that failed to diminish Rovers' appetite and no-one epitomised that hunger more than Jeff Kenna, who was handed a surprise recall almost a year to the day after his last senior start.

With Souness reverting to an orthodox 4-4-2 and Hughes restored alongside Jansen up front, Rovers took the fight to the Gunners after weathering a rocky opening.

And, with Duff and Gillespie hugging the touchlines at every available opportunity, that created gaps in midfield for Tugay and David Dunn to work their magic.

Ironically, Arsenal started brightly enough and they could have surged into a fourth minute lead but Japanese international Junichi Inamoto volleyed wide after a smart lay-off by Kanu.

It was all Rovers after that, though, as they roared into an unassailable 3-0 lead inside the first 21 minutes.

Tugay set the ball rolling in the 12th minute when he prized open the Gunners defence with a delightfully disguised through ball for Jansen who stepped inside Matthew Upson before curling an exquisite left-foot finish inside Stuart Taylor's right-hand post.

And last season's leading scorer then bagged his second three minutes later, reacting sharply to steer home a mis-hit shot from Tugay on the edge of the six yard box.

Chants of 'Are you Burnley in disguise' then rolled off the Blackburn End six minutes later as Hughes bagged his first goal in 30 appearances after profiting from a lucky ricochet on the edge of the area.

And Arsenal's embarrassment could have been even more acute when another sumptuous Tugay pass released Duff but his shot came back off the base of the post with Taylor well beaten.

By now the Gunners were in complete disarray and Stathis Tavlavidis should have been red-carded for dragging back Duff as he raced through again only for referee Paul Durkin to bottle out of sending him off.

After the break, Arsenal emerged with more purpose and Jermaine Pennant missed a great chance to hand them a lifeline when he fired wide with only Brad Friedel to beat.

But Rovers were soon back in the ascendancy and Tugay was again instrumental in the fourth goal on 68 minutes.

He picked out Duff with a delightful first-time pass and the Irishman cut in from the left before unselfishly teeing up Jansen who expertly completed his hat-trick with the coolest of finishes before making his exit to a standing ovation.

"We're now in the semi-finals and anything can happen from here," said Jansen.

"If we can beat Arsenal 4-0 then there's no reason for us to fear anyone and I don't see why we can't go all the way."

ROVERS...4

Scorers: Jansen 12, 15, 68 Hughes 21

ARSENAL...0

Attendance...13,278