Arsenal safely navigated a potential FA Cup banana skin at Fratton Park, with a Gabriel Martinelli hat-trick proving decisive in a 4-1 third-round victory over a spirited Portsmouth side.
Portsmouth's Dream Start Quickly Fades
The League One outfit, managed by John Mousinho, stunned the Premier League leaders with a goal after just two minutes. Colby Bishop ended his 20-game goal drought, tapping in after Kepa Arrizabalaga saved from Conor Chaplin to send the home fans into raptures.
However, Arsenal's response was swift. The equaliser came from a familiar source this season: a set-piece. An Eberechi Eze corner caused chaos in the Portsmouth box, eventually being turned into his own net by Andre Dozzell under pressure from Christian Nørgaard.
Martinelli Takes Centre Stage
From that point, the Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli seized control of the tie. He put Arsenal ahead with a well-placed header from a Noni Madueke corner, exposing Portsmouth's defensive frailties from dead-ball situations. Martinelli's first goal was a sign of things to come, as Arsenal's set-piece coach Nicolas Jover saw his work pay dividends once more.
Portsmouth were handed a lifeline before half-time when Zak Swanson conceded a penalty, but Madueke's effort sailed wildly off target, much to the delight of the Fratton Park faithful.
Arsenal's Quadruple Quest Continues
Any hopes of a Portsmouth comeback were extinguished six minutes after the restart. A quick free-kick from Myles Lewis-Skelly found Gabriel Jesus, who squared for Martinelli to tap in his second. The hat-trick was completed in similar fashion, with another powerful header from a Madueke corner, taking Arsenal's tally from set pieces this season to 17.
Mikel Arteta, who made ten changes from the side that drew with Liverpool, will be pleased with the performance and the return of Kai Havertz from injury. History was made late on as 16-year-old Marli Salmon became Arsenal's youngest-ever FA Cup player.
Portsmouth's difficult evening was compounded when substitute Franco Umeh suffered a hamstring injury with all substitutions used, forcing them to finish with ten men. For Arsenal, this victory marks their first progression to the FA Cup fourth round since 2023, keeping their hopes of a historic quadruple alive.
