Arsenal booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round after Gabriel Martinelli scored a hat-trick in a win over Portsmouth, with Mikel Arteta’s side once again showing the growing threat they carry from dead-ball situations.
The Gunners were made to work for it, though. Portsmouth arrived with a clear plan to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm and for spells they succeeded, forcing Arteta’s team into a scrappy contest that did not always suit them.
Arsenal’s breakthrough eventually came and, once it did, Martinelli took over. The Brazilian forward led the way with three goals, turning a potentially awkward night into a job well done and sending Arsenal through.
With the match still carrying a hint of danger, Arsenal leaned heavily on their strength at set pieces, continuing the theme that has followed them this season. The goals did not all come easy, but their deliveries and organisation at restarts again proved decisive as they weathered the scare.
Martinelli was the standout performer on the night, combining sharp movement with the calm finishing Arsenal needed. His hat-trick underlined his importance in the attacking unit and provided the cutting edge that Portsmouth struggled to contain once Arsenal found their stride.
In the end, Arsenal’s quality told. The Premier League side had to stay focused, but they did enough to secure the result and move on in the competition, with Martinelli’s three-goal display the defining moment of the tie.
