Arsenal travel three hours north on the M1 to take on Mansfield Town in the FA Cup 5th round. The Gunners are alive in all four competitions and seeking their first silverware since the 2020 FA Cup. Mansfield Town are the second-lowest remaining team in the competition — Port Vale are eight places behind them in League One. This is just the second meeting in the history of the two clubs. The first came 97 years ago.
Mikel Arteta was quick to point out that being favorites doesn’t count for anything,
that you’ve still got to take the field, play the match, and that anything can happen. Mansfield Town beat Premier League side Burnley in the 4th round and downed recent PL side Sheffield United in the 3rd. Today’s contest will be among the biggest of these player’s lives and they’re playing in front of their home fans. They’re going to be more than up for it.
The Stags currently sit 16th in League One. Other than their 4th round triumph over Burnley, they’re struggling. They’re 9-straight without a league victory, and their most recent league win came over cellar-dwellers Port Vale back in January.
Arsenal are without Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, and Ben White through injury. Mikel Arteta left Daivd Raya, William Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice, and Martin Zubimendi off the matchday squad to get some rest.
Arsenal – Kepa, Salmon, Mosquera, Calafiori, Norgaard, Havertz, Trossard, Madueke, Dowman, Martinelli, Jesus
Mansfield Town – Roberts, Knoyle, Oshilaja, Blake-Tracy, Akins, Abbott, Reed, McLaughlin, Russell, T. Roberts, Oates
This is a match that Arsenal should be winning. Even with his significant rotation and seeming change to three at the back, Mikel Arteta has deployed more than enough quality to take care of business. It’s great to see Max Dowman and Marli Salmon getting starts.
WHO: Arsenal at Mansfield Town
WHAT: The FA Cup 6th round
WHERE: One Call Stadium, Mansfield
WHEN: Saturday, March 7th, 4:15 am PT | 7:15 am PT | 12:15 pm GMT
HOW TO WATCH: Broadcast on ESPN2. Streaming on ESPN+.
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