The FA Cup has a habit of testing reputations, especially when elite clubs are dragged into hostile, history-soaked grounds. Fratton Park provided exactly that examination, and for three noisy minutes it looked as though Portsmouth might add to the weekend's growing list of shocks. Instead, Arsenal responded with calm authority, easing to a 4-1 victory that underlined their depth, composure, and ambition, Softfootball reports.
Fresh from a frustrating 0-0 draw against Liverpool that slightly dented their title push , Mikel Arteta rang the changes, making 10 alterations to his starting line-up. That disruption showed early on, as Portsmouth struck first through Colby Bishop, who capitalised on some early Arsenal uncertainty to send Fratton Park into raptures.
For a brief moment, the romance of the cup threatened to take centre stage. But Arsenal's response was swift and controlled. Their equaliser arrived almost immediately, and it came in familiar fashion. A trademark corner caused chaos in the Portsmouth box, with Christian Norgaard forcing the ball goalwards before Andre Dozzell inadvertently diverted it into his own net. The goal steadied Arsenal and drained the volume from the home crowd.
