A second half blitz from Arsenal consigned Wigan to relegation from the English Premier League, as Arsene Wenger's side moved back up to fourth with a crazy 4-1 win on a rainy Tuesday at the Emirates.
Santi Cazorla was again in irresistible form, providing four assists, as a brace from Podolski and one each courtesy Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey put the Gunners back in the driver's seat for a place in the Champions League next season, moving a point clear of Tottenham with one game remaining in the season.
Wigan, who needed nothing short of a win to prevent relegation, faced the strange feeling of incredible ecstasy after winning the F.A. Cup to utter deflation after seeing their Premier League stay come to a sad end.
Arsene Wenger opted for pretty much the same side that won 1-0 at QPR, with the only change being Kieran Gibbs coming in for Nacho Monreal at left-back.
The Gunners started the game off brightly, and crated a couple of half chances with Theo Walcott looking in the mood on the right.
Santi Cazorla was a whisker away from making it 1-0, when the Spaniard headed a nice cross from Walcott, inches wide off the post with goalkeeper Joel well beaten.
The goal came in the 11th minute and courtesy some shambolic defending from Wigan. Cazorla fired in a cross, which took a bounce off the wet turf, before Podolski, inexplicably left all alone inside the box, headed it in from six yards.
Podolski then had a header go high, before a nice low pass from Cazorla nearly put Ramsey through, as Arsenal looked to find that second goal to kill the game off in the first 45 minutes.
However, as the first half wore on, Wigan slowly grew into the game, with Laurent Koscielny forced to make a brilliant clearance to prevent Arouna Kone from scoring.
Arsenal are never safe defending a lead, even if they might have improved in recent games, and Wigan got their equalizer right on the stroke of halftime.
Referee Mike Dean gave Wigan a freekick 22 yards out for a soft foul on Shaun Maloney, with the Wigan forward himself stepping up to fire in a brilliant set-piece past the diving Wojciech Szczesny, who got fingertips to it, but could not keep the ball out.
With both sides desperate for the win, the game opened up from the start of the second half.
Wigan had the better of it in the first ten minutes, with Kone almost scoring his side's second goal, only for Szczesny to make a nice save.
The Latics put the ball in the back of the net, soon after, but James McCarthy's strike was rightly ruled out due to offside.
Cazorla, then should have scored at the other end, with Walcott playing a perfect cross for the Spaniard. Joel Robles saved Cazorla's first shot with the keeper then making a second save off the rebound from the same player, before Rosicky struck his shot wide.
The game went from a nervy one into a canter for Arsenal in the space of eight minutes.
With Jack Wilshere preparing himself to come on, Arsenal made it 2-1 in the 63rd minute, and through their top goalscorer this season.
Cazorla found space on the right, before playing across a nice low cross towards Walcott, who was braver than Joel to get to the ball first and force it past the goalkeeper.
The night went from bad to worse for Wigan, with Podolski latching onto a pass from Cazorla, before calmly chipping the keeper to make it 3-1 five minutes later.
And Wigan's relegation was pretty much sealed when Aaron Ramsey ran at the Wigan defence from the left before blasting the ball into the back of the net from a tight angle.
Wigan, to their credit did not let their heads drop and went in search of at least another consolation goal, but it was to be Arsenal's night as the F.A. Cup champions prepare themselves for life in the Championship after eight years in England's top flight.
For Arsenal, a trip to St. James' Park on the final day of the season awaits, and another three points there will see them charging out in Europe's elite competition for yet another year.
