Hat-trick hero: Gabriel Martinelli notched a treble as Arsenal fought back to brush aside Portsmouth in the FA Cup
Arsenal Football Newsletter
If you were putting together the ingredients needed for an FA Cup shock, it would have looked a lot like Arsenal’s trip to Portsmouth.
An away tie against EFL opposition in front of a raucous set of home fans. An early goal for the underdogs to get the stadium, quite literally, shaking.
Throw in driving rain, howling winds and a heavily-rotated lineup from the favourites and your recipe is starting to come together.
For seven minutes on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal looked like they would rather be pretty much anywhere else than Fratton Park.
Gabriel Jesus had already been knocked to the ground twice, Gabriel's clearance was shanked onto the roof of the stadium, and Noni Madueke lost possession for Portsmouth's goal inside three minutes.
Arsenal had barely left their own half and the 10 changes to the starting lineup had unsurprisingly hindered the usual fluid patterns of play.
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"When we make that many changes, there is an element of cohesion that is not going to be as perfect as we want," manager Mikel Arteta said after the match.
"We started the game exactly how we didn't want to, just giving them momentum and an early goal and hope.
"And then we had to fight back and credit to them because they make it difficult for us, especially in the early stages of the game."
Fight back they did, a 4-1 win already making this as good a run in the FA Cup for Arsenal since winning the competition in 2020.
This was an afternoon that not just cemented Arsenal's position as obvious contenders to lift the trophy in May, but provided further evidence as to why they are Premier League favourites.
A clash with the side sitting 21st in the Championship is of course not one that should immediately spark the Premier League into getting the red ribbons out for the trophy.
It was, though, another indication of progress. The Gunners faced Championship opposition in the third round of the FA Cup in 2022, when they travelled to take on Nottingham Forest.
Changes were made - Charlie Patino and Albert Sambi Lokonga started in midfield - and it ended in a 1-0 defeat and apologies to the fans from Arteta.
A year earlier, the Gunners had been dumped out by Southampton after Arteta made seven changes. How times have changed.
Arteta can now make 10 alterations and still name a starting lineup featuring an attack of Gabriel Martinelli, Jesus and Madueke, with Eberechi Eze among those behind them.
It is not just the quality that the rotated cast offer but also the mentality and character. These are experienced internationals who have played at the highest level, able to respond to the challenges thrown up at Fratton Park.
Even 16-year-old Marli Salmon came on and seamlessly slotted in, flying into a firm sliding challenge out wide almost immediately that was very much in keeping with the mood of the match.
Arsenal's Noni Madueke runs with the ball against Portsmouth
Martinelli was booed every time he touched the ball early on after his incident with Conor Bradley on Thursday but answered that with a hat-trick. It was Madueke's turn to become pantomime villain after the break.
The winger was fouled six times and with each free-kick won the anger towards him and the referee grew among the Portsmouth fans.
One supporter was so incensed after hearing the whistle go again that he rose from his seat, charged up the stairs and screamed in the face of an Arsenal analyst, questioning whether he was the "cheating scum" responsible for those tactics.
This was not the kind of match Arsenal experience very often, on or off the pitch. Most of the first-team regulars were not on the pitch but the Gunners did not wilt.
That bodes well for a deep FA Cup run but also the strength of Arteta's toolbox in the Premier League fight.