READING FC have been knocked out of the EFL Cup after a fourth-round defeat at the Emirates.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored in each half to send Arsene Wenger's Gunners into the quarter finals on Tuesday night.

Royals have now lost all 14 meetings against Arsenal over the years and, although they put up a decent fight, there were few signs of that run ending.

Jaap Stam's visitors stuck to their guns and tried to out-play the Premier League Gunners at their own passing game.

That, though, is where the difference lies and where the gulf in class is most evident.

Reading were holding their own when goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi's hospital pass gifted Oxlade-Chamberlain his 33rd-minute opener.

And try as they did to muster an equaliser, they lacked the spark up front that their Premier League hosts possessed.

Nevertheless, Royals, buoyed by more than 5,000 travelling fans, left north London with their heads held high and their pride in tact.

Stam made four changes from the side that won at Rotherham on Saturday, including a start for Dominic Samuel up front.

The young striker was one of four Academy graduates in the team along with Liam Kelly, who kept his place in the starting line-up despite his league debut at New York Stadium lasting a mere 28 minutes.

Elsewhere, Tennai Watson replaced the suspended Chris Gunter at right-back, while Tyler Blackett was recalled to partner Liam Moore in the centre of defence, with Paul McShane, who scored the winner against Rotherham, rested along with Danny Williams.

Stam also handed a start to fit-again Callum Harriott and pushed Joey van den Berg into midfield.

And there was a welcome return from injury for Yakou Meite on the bench next to senior first-team players Yann Kermorgant and Stephen Quinn.

The league cup has never ranked highly on Wenger's list of priorities and he made 10 changes to his side that drew with Middlesbrough at the weekend, with only Alex Iwobi keeping his place.

The sight of fit-again Olivier Giroud only making the Gunners' bench will have given Royals a lift, but they were soon under the cosh as Wenger's men came storming out of the blocks.

Al Habsi continued his superb form the weekend by denying Carl Jenkinson with an instinctive save in the sixth minute before the same Arsenal player headed the rebound over.

Then two minutes later Oxlade-Chamberlain fired narrowly wide from a tight angle with Royals all at sea.

The visitors quickly regrouped and, after an Ainsley Maitland-Niles effort missed the target, they manufactured a genuine chance of their own midway through the first half.

Van den Berg showed good strength to win a header on the edge of the Gunners' box, but the ball fell to Jordan Obita's weaker right foot and his shot failed to trouble Emiliano Martinez.

Reading, their credit, retained confidence in their ability to out-pass an Arsenal side who are masters of the art itself.

And that is what ultimately caused them to concede the first goal in the 33rd minute.

The warning signs were there only moments earlier when George Evans coughed up possession to Ainsley Maitland-Niles who could only fire over.

But they paid the price when Al Habsi played a needless pass out to van den Berg and Oxlade-Chamberlain picked his pocket before expertly rifling the ball past the embarrassed Royals keeper.

Yet Reading wouldn't lie down. Harriott had a sight at goal from 25-yards out then a minute before the break another shot deflected off Gabriel Armando and bounced onto the roof of the net, with Martinez wrong-footed.

However, the same Reading problems were evident four minutes after the break when Kelly's wayward pass was easily intercepted and Oxlade-Chamberlain raced forward only to see his shot deflect wide off van den Berg.

Back came Reading and they should have done better on a counter-attack when Garath McCleary's pace took him clear only for his final ball to Samuel to let him down.

And Kermorgant almost snatched an equaliser soon after coming on when his powerful header from Obita's cross forced an important save from Martinez.

Stam sacrificed Watson for Danzell Gravenberch in an effort to kick-start a comeback, only to see Arsenal almost snatch a second when Giroud's header was brilliantly saved by Al Habsi before Moore cleared the follow-up off the line.

And the Oman goalkeeper had to be at his best again in the 72nd minute to deny Oxlade-Chamberlain before tipping an Alex Iwobi effort over the bar.

But there was little Al Habsi could do about Oxlade-Chamberlain's second in the 78th minute after the Arsenal midfielder's drive took a deflection and sent the Royals stopper the wrong way.

Reading did almost pull one back with a minute to go when Kermorgant's thunderous free-kick stung the hands of Martinez.

But it was too little, too late for the Royals as they bowed out of the competition.

Reading return to Championship action on Saturday when they host Nottingham Forest (3pm).

Arsenal: Martinez, Holding, Gabriel, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Oxlade-Chamberlain (Zelalem 80), Reine-Adelaide (Giroud  66), Iwobi, Lucas (Willock 72). Subs not used: Macey, Bola, Bielik, Sheaf.

Reading:  Al-Habsi, Watson (Gravenberch 66), Obita, Moore, Blackett, Kelly, Van den Berg (Quinn 80), Evans, McCleary, Harriott (Kermorgant 56), Samuel. Subs not used: S.Moore, Swift, Weiser, Meite. Booked: McCleary 76, Moore 79.

Referee: Graham Scott.

Attendance: 59,865.