Our under-18s begin their FA Youth Cup campaign with a trip to the East Midlands on Monday, December 15, where they will take on Mansfield Town at the One Call Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7pm (UK time).
The young Gunners head into the tie on the back of a hard-fought 2-2 draw in a fiercely contested north London derby, with goals coming from Ceadach O’Neill and Teshaun Murisa.
Last season, we reached the quarter-finals of the competition, recording victories over Hertford Town, Queens Park Rangers and Fulham, before exiting with a 3-2 extra-time defeat to Manchester United at Emirates Stadium.
We have lifted the FA Youth Cup on seven occasions, most recently in 2009, and have continued to feature prominently in recent years, reaching the final in both 2018 and 2023.
The Opposition
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Mansfield Town’s under-18s have already navigated two rounds of the competition, having entered at the first-round stage. They began with a 3-1 victory over Kidderminster Harriers, before producing an impressive second-round performance to defeat Barnsley 1-0 at Oakwell and book their place in the third round.
The Stags compete in the EFL Youth Alliance League North and currently sit 10th in the table with 18 points from 12 matches, recording five wins, three draws and four defeats. They also come into this fixture in confident form, having won their last two league matches against Lincoln City and Stockport County.
The winner of Monday night’s tie will travel to face Manchester City in the fourth round.
How to follow
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[Tickets are available via Mansfield Town’s website](https://mansfieldtownfc.ktckts.com/event/mst2526fayth001/mansfield-town-v-arsenal), with adult tickets priced at £3 and concessions available free of charge. Please note that concession tickets must still be booked in advance.
Supporters unable to attend in person can follow live updates on our academy’s official X account, with a full match report published on Arsenal.com shortly after the final whistle.
Following the game, fans can also enjoy post-match interviews with Adam Birchall and one of our young Gunners, along with highlights of all the key moments.
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