Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has shared his thoughts on Mansfield Town following an FA Cup classic at the One Call Stadium.placeholder image
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has shared his thoughts on Mansfield Town following an FA Cup classic at the One Call Stadium. | Pic : Chris & Jeanette Holloway
Arteta has heaped praise on Mansfield Town after his Arsenal side secured a narrow victory against them in the fifth round of the FA Cup
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has described his side’s FA Cup showdown with Mansfield Town as a match which ‘exemplifies’ the history of the FA Cup and both the difficulty and beauty which comes with the competition.
The Premier League leaders, who are statistically the most successful team in the history of the FA Cup with 14 trophies, breezed past Championship side Portsmouth 4-1 and put four past League One side Wigan Athletic to reach this stage of the competition. However, they were made to work extremely hard this time around against a very spirited Stags side, who fought for every ball while playing with a real sense of intensity and physicality.
Mansfield had 11 shots against Arsenal in the first half, the most the Gunners have faced in the first 45 minutes of a match in all competitions since April 2022. They also had five shots on target and won four corners during the contest.
“It was a great occasion,” said Arteta in his post-match press conference.
“I think that game exemplifies the history of the FA Cup, the difficulty of that and the beauty of that. First of all, because they made it really hard so big credit to the team and the way they played.”
Arsenal were forced to adapt to a League One ground in the One Call Stadium, which is perhaps very different from the type of surface they are accustomed to at the Emirates Stadium or in other Premier League or European venues.
Commenting on that challenge, Arteta added: “Because of the pitch, they have to adapt as well. Because of the energy that the supporters put in, which I think was extraordinary. The intensity, the banter at times, the interactions and the belief that they put in towards the team.
“And then, because you really have to earn it. We had moments where it should have been two or three [up] when you don't close the games and they have hope and belief. That becomes more and more dangerous and after they equalise in the game, you really have to dig in to earn the right to win it.”
Arsenal will discover their quarter-final opponents on Monday evening, just two days before their Champions League round-of-16 game at the Bay Arena against Bayer Leverkusen.
As for Mansfield, attention turns to a busy week at the One Call Stadium with back-to-back home games against Reading and Barnsley on Tuesday and Saturday respectively.
Continue Reading