Gabriel Martinelli delivered a stunning hat-trick performance to propel Arsenal into the fourth round of the FA Cup, silencing a hostile Fratton Park crowd in the process. The Gunners recovered from an early shock to defeat Championship side Portsmouth 4-1 in a commanding display on Sunday.
Pompey's Dream Start Quickly Fades
The match began in nightmare fashion for the Premier League leaders. Colby Bishop sent the home fans into raptures after just three minutes, capitalising on a parried save from goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to poke Portsmouth into a surprise lead. However, the joy was short-lived. Arsenal's now-famous set-piece prowess came to the fore just five minutes later, as a corner caused chaos in the box, leading to Andre Dozzell turning the ball into his own net for the equaliser.
Martinelli Silences the Boo-Boys in Style
All eyes were on Gabriel Martinelli, who had been targeted by Portsmouth supporters following a midweek incident involving Liverpool's Conor Bradley. The Brazilian responded in the perfect manner. He put Arsenal ahead in the 25th minute with a clever near-post header from another corner. After Noni Madueke missed a penalty before half-time, Martinelli took centre stage after the break. He added a second goal early in the second half and completed his first senior hat-trick with yet another header from a corner late on, capping a memorable personal afternoon.
Arteta's Squad Depth and Striker Conundrum
Despite resting key players like Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Mikel Arteta fielded a team brimming with Premier League quality, underlining the squad's impressive strength in depth. The victory, however, highlighted an ongoing dilemma in attack. With summer signing Viktor Gyokeres struggling for form, the returning Gabriel Jesus led the line but failed to score. The imminent return of Kai Havertz from injury will only intensify the competition for the central striking role as Arsenal continue their pursuit of silverware on multiple fronts.
The result means Arsenal safely navigate a potential cup upset and await Monday night's draw for the fourth round. Their set-piece mastery, which yielded three goals from corners against Portsmouth, continues to be a formidable weapon, with the team having now scored 17 goals directly from corners this season alone.
