Arsenal commence their pursuit of a record-extending 15th FA Cup title away to Championship bottom-half strugglers Portsmouth on Sunday. Mikel Arteta’s men travel to Fratton Park, looking to bounce back from a frustrating 0-0 draw against Liverpool on Thursday and extend their unbeaten streak in all competitions to nine matches (W7, D1).
Despite that midweek setback, the Gunners remain one of the most in-form sides in European football, as they lead the EPL odds in the Premier League and sit at the top of the UEFA Champions League standings. In stark contrast, Portsmouth began the new calendar year with a chastening 5-0 defeat away to Bristol City before a frozen pitch forced the postponement of last weekend’s game against Ipswich Town.
Stranded in the Championship’s lower reaches, John Mousinho’s men face another season-long fight against the drop, so their underdog status in this match-up is hardly surprising. Arsenal head into this game as 1/5 favourites to progress into the next round and avoid three consecutive third-round eliminations for the first time since a run of four between 1938/39 and 1947/48.
On the other hand, Pompey are 13/1 to pull off an epic upset and halt their awfully long winless streak against the North London powerhouse spanning nearly seven decades.
David vs Goliath Clash
Portsmouth’s last win over Arsenal dates back to 1958, with the south-coast club going 22 matches without beating the Gunners since that 5-4 victory at home (D8, L14). It’s hard to imagine the home side breaking that drought here, not least because they’ve suffered elimination in their last five FA Cup ties against Premier League opposition.
Mousinho might draw some confidence from the fact that Pompey’s last success in such a contest came at the expense of Arsenal’s bitter North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in 2009/10. However, it’s worth noting that only three Championship teams have lost more home matches than Portsmouth’s five this season, a worrying statistic that does little to inspire confidence ahead of Arsenal’s visit.
As if that’s not concerning enough, Mousinho’s charges are without a clean sheet in ten successive outings since holding Wrexham to a scoreless draw at the start of November.
High-Flying Gunners
In addition to Arsenal’s impressive unbeaten run, the visitors boast a flawless FA Cup record against Portsmouth, having defeated this opposition in all four previous meetings in this competition. Furthermore, the Gunners have emerged victorious from their last five clashes against Pompey, netting an eye-catching 14 goals while conceding just two in return.
Leaving the home comforts of the Emirates Stadium shouldn’t faze Arsenal much, considering they possess the best away record in the Premier League this season, averaging two points per game. In search of more good omens, Arsenal last won the FA Cup trophy in the 2019/20 season when they overcame Portsmouth in the fifth round, courtesy of a 2-0 triumph on this ground.
Though all the signs are pointing in one direction, Arteta knows better than to tuck himself into a false sense of security, especially after his side lost back-to-back FA Cup third-round ties.
Team News
This trip will come too soon for the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera and Kai Havertz, with Piero Hincapie’s availability in doubt after an injury forced him off against Liverpool.
Bukayo Saka, who has just agreed a new contract that will make him the club’s highest earner (via the Daily Mail), is likely to start on the bench, with Ethan Nwaneri expected to take his place in the starting line-up.
Gabriel Jesus should get the nod in attack ahead of the misfiring Viktor Gyokeres, while Gabriel Martinelli should start on the left wing at the expense of Leandro Trossard.
Potential Starting Line-ups
Portsmouth (4-2-3-1)
Schmid; Devlin, Shaughnessy, Poole, Swanson; Dozzell, Pack; Segecic, Chaplin, Blair; Bishop.
Arsenal (4-3-3)
Arrizabalaga; White, Salmon, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Merino, Norgaard, Eze; Madeuke, Martinelli, Jesus.
Prediction
Though Arteta is likely to field a second-string line-up, this should be a routine task for Arsenal, as they seek a fourth consecutive win on the road. With Portsmouth dealing with a full-blown injury crisis, the hosts cannot realistically expect to trouble the Premier League pacesetters.
Prediction: Portsmouth 0-2 Arsenal