Gabriel Martinelli delivered a stunning personal redemption, scoring a brilliant hat-trick to propel Arsenal into the FA Cup fourth round with a commanding 4-1 victory over Championship side Portsmouth at a rain-lashed Fratton Park.
Early Scare Quickly Overcome
The Premier League leaders, who made ten changes, suffered a nightmare start on Sunday, 11 January 2026. In less than three minutes, Portsmouth captain Colby Bishop slammed home a rebound after Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry Conor Chaplin's effort, sending the home fans into raptures.
Their lead was short-lived, however. Arsenal levelled in scrappy fashion just five minutes later when Eberechi Eze's corner caused havoc, resulting in Andre Dozzell diverting the ball into his own net under pressure from Christian Norgaard.
Martinelli Takes Centre Stage
The match turned decisively in Arsenal's favour thanks to the brilliance of Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian forward, heavily criticised for an incident in Thursday's draw with Liverpool, put the Gunners ahead in the 25th minute. He rose powerfully to head home Noni Madueke's corner, though replays suggested the set-piece should not have been awarded.
Martinelli then missed a glaring open goal, striking the post, before Madueke compounded a poor first half for Arsenal by firing a penalty wide just before the break. Martinelli made no mistake after the interval, sliding in at the far post to convert Gabriel Jesus's low cross in the 51st minute and double the visitors' lead.
Treble Complete and Fourth Round Secured
The forward completed his hat-trick and sealed the match in the 72nd minute, again demonstrating Arsenal's threat from set-pieces. He met another Madueke delivery with a firm header that squirmed through the hands of Portsmouth goalkeeper Josef Bursik.
The comprehensive win, which also saw a late cameo from returning forward Kai Havertz, books Arsenal's place in the FA Cup fourth round for the first time in three seasons. For a beleaguered Portsmouth, sitting just a point above the Championship relegation zone, it was a harsh lesson in clinical finishing, extending their winless run against Arsenal to 23 matches dating back to 1958.
