Arsenal advanced in the FA Cup with a 4-1 win over Portsmouth, highlighted by Gabriel Martinelli’s hat-trick and a strong response to early pressure. Mikel Arteta pointed to the team’s mentality and set-piece strength as the defining factors, after Portsmouth had opened the scoring inside three minutes.
Arteta accepted that Arsenal started poorly but felt the players adjusted with control and focus once behind. Portsmouth’s early goal briefly lifted the hosts, yet Arsenal soon imposed structure, pressed smarter, and used dead-ball situations effectively to remove any serious threat of a cup upset.
Martinelli became the first Arsenal player to score an FA Cup hat-trick since Theo Walcott achieved the feat nine years earlier. Every Arsenal goal
came from a set-piece routine, underlining recent work on restarts. Noni Madueke also missed a penalty, which kept Portsmouth interested before Arsenal closed out the tie.
| Competition | Fixture | Venue | Score | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA Cup | Portsmouth vs Arsenal | Fratton Park | 1-4 | Gabriel Martinelli hat-trick; all Arsenal goals from set-pieces; Noni Madueke missed penalty |
The result came one day after holders Crystal Palace were eliminated by non-league Macclesfield, a reminder of regular shocks in this competition. Arteta was determined Arsenal would not follow the same path and stressed that awareness of such outcomes shaped how the squad approached the tie at Fratton Park.
Arteta made several changes to the starting line-up and also brought Kai Havertz back following injury. Squad rotation did not affect the overall plan, and the head coach underlined that players outside the usual starting group remain central to Arsenal’s ambitions across competitions this season.
"They know that they are all going to be important, the Spaniard said of how his fringe players react to not always featuring regularly. Everybody has a chance to play, everybody is involved. Were going to need everybodys contributions to achieve what we want. "
"Part of the history of this competition means there is a lot to play forto be in the next round but also a clubs reputation, he told TNT Sports.You have to play with that mindset when you play at these grounds. We started exactly how we didnt want to, giving them hope and momentum. But we managed to turn it around, and became more dominant. Positives to take, but some things to be better at. We were not at the level [early on]. When we adapted, Portsmouth suffered.We knew that they were going to give us a game and that is the beauty of this competition, that the margin becomes really close,especially when you give them momentum anda goal.We had to find ways to be dominant and adapt to margins. The second half was much better. We did react, and we did what we had to do. We are positive apart from the result because we made many changes. "
Arteta’s comments reflected how the match developed. Portsmouth’s fast start forced defensive adjustments, and Arsenal shifted shape to limit counter-attacks. After half-time the visitors controlled territory, managed transitions, and restricted Portsmouth’s chances, which supported Arteta’s view that adaptation turned the contest firmly in Arsenal’s favour.
The atmosphere at Fratton Park remained intense, with home support challenging Arsenal throughout. Arteta and the players also acknowledged travelling fans, whose backing continued once the scoreline swung decisively. The connection with supporters has been a consistent theme around Arsenal’s recent cup performances, including this latest away victory.
Non-stop energy from the stands Thank you for your support, Gooners pic.twitter.com/NYC8P4C2ULArsenal (@Arsenal) January 11, 2026
Arsenal leave Fratton Park with progress secured, a hat-trick for Martinelli, and further evidence of set-piece strength. Arteta gained minutes for returning players, preserved key figures, and kept focus on maintaining momentum. The performance was not flawless, but the response after falling behind matched the standard Arteta expects in the FA Cup.
