Arsenal are looking to reach the Fourth Round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2022-23 when they travel to out-of-sorts Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon.
The Gunners are the record winners of this competition (14), their last triumph coming in Mikel Arteta’s debut season. But that was way back in 2019-20, and is still the last trophy lifted by the club.
So the current Premier League leaders are out to end their silverware drought, and the FA Cup remains a special competition for all those involved.
Of course, Championship side Pompey are looking to spring a surprise at Fratton Park, but with Arsenal possessing arguably the strongest squad in England, the odds are firmly stacked against the hosts.
Here is our full Portsmouth vs Arsenal preview, and we have made our picks based on NetBet’s latest FA Cup odds.
Also, if you are new around here, make sure to activate our Welcome Offer before kick-off on the South Coast, with £20 in Free Bets and 25 Free Spins up for grabs.
Where can I watch Portsmouth vs Arsenal in the UK?
Portsmouth vs Arsenal will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm UK time.
Portsmouth vs Arsenal Preview
Recent results
Portsmouth enter this cup fixture on the back of a 5-0 league loss at Bristol City, though Pompey are unbeaten in the last three at home, with 2-1 wins over Blackburn and Charlton either side of a 1-1 draw with QPR. However, the South Coast side sit 21st in the Championship table, suffering 11 defeats in 24 matches.
Arsenal’s five-match winning run in the Premier League came to an end on Thursday evening, the Gunners mustering only a 0-0 draw with a depleted Liverpool side. So Arteta will demand a positive response here, although one eye may be on next week’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea.
Head-to-head record
In the Premier League era, Portsmouth and Arsenal have met 16 times, with the former yet to record a single victory. Six of those contests ended in a draw, with the Gunners collecting 10 wins.
Two of the 16 meetings were FA Cup contests at Fratton Park. Arsenal won 5-1 in March 2004, and claimed a 2-0 victory in March 2020 on their way to lifting the trophy.
Team news
Arsenal’s fitness issues have eased somewhat, though Piero Hincapie left the field against Liverpool with an injury, so he is likely to join fellow defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera in being unavailable. Max Dowman is the only other definite absentee for Arteta to contend with.
As for Portsmouth, manager John Mousinho is dealing with an unfortunate injury crisis. Mark Kosznovsky, Hayden Matthews and Josh Knight are out for extended spells, while Callum Lang, Connor Ogilvie and Josh Murphy won’t feature here. Colby Bishop could return, though.
Portsmouth vs Arsenal Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Arsenal are overwhelming pre-match favourites at a price of 1.23. A Portsmouth win is at long odds of 11.00, while the draw after 90 minutes is 6.20.
Portsmouth vs Arsenal Betting Tips
Arsenal total goals – Over 2.5 @ 1.93
Pompey’s injury crisis could see Arsenal run riot here. With so many attacking weapons at Arteta’s disposal – fresh ones too given the size of the squad – we expect a one-sided contest at Fratton Park.
Player to score or assist – Eberechi Eze @ 1.75
Eze looks nailed on to start after struggling for Premier League minutes over the festive period. Lest we forget, the fleet-footed playmaker scored in last season’s FA Cup final, while he has five goals and four assists for Arsenal across all competitions this term.
Player to score or assist – Gabriel Jesus @ 1.88
Viktor Gyokeres’ obvious struggles, and Jesus’ need for game time after returning from a serious knee injury (which ironically came in last season’s FA Cup Third Round defeat to Man Utd), should see the Brazilian get the nod at Fratton Park. The striker has looked bright in recent cameos, while he boasts a fantastic FA Cup record. In 21 previous competition appearances, Jesus registered 10 goals and eight assists.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.