FA Cup third spherical 2025/26 line-ups, stats and preview

Portsmouth v Arsenal FA Cup preview

Portsmouth centre-back Regan Poole says the second-tier membership will “have a proper good go” at extending their unbeaten dwelling run to 4 matches when Premier League leaders Arsenal arrive within the FA Cup third spherical.

Pompey are a degree above the relegation zone however have two matches in hand on third-bottom Norwich Metropolis and have been helped by amassing seven factors from their final 9 out there at dwelling, together with a 2-1 victory over Charlton Athletic on December 29.

“Not many groups like coming to Fratton Park and we’ve obtained to place them beneath strain early on,” mentioned former Wales worldwide Poole, talking to Portsmouth’s web site.

“It’s the form of draw you would like for and we really feel fairly fortunate to get it, so we’re not simply going to roll over and watch them play good soccer. We’ve to get of their faces.”

Arsenal are persevering with a run of 9 matches in 28 days in January as they bid to progress past the fourth spherical for the primary time since successful the competitors in Mikel Arteta’s first season in cost in 2019/20.

The Gunners drew 0-0 at dwelling to Liverpool on Wednesday, bringing their seven-match successful stretch in all competitions to an finish however transferring six factors clear on the Premier League summit.

“With the schedule we’ve in entrance of us and the scenario that we’ve to take care of, what [the players] are doing is outstanding,” advised Arteta.

“The need they should win and the consistency that they’re displaying [is impressive]. We need to proceed to enhance and be taught and each sport is a chance to try this.”

FA Cup third spherical 2025: Portsmouth v Arsenal crew information

Defender Connor Ogilvie, midfielder Mark Kosznovszky and ahead Florian Bianchini are lacking with knee accidents as a part of Pompey’s lengthy absentee checklist.

Defender or midfielder Josh Knight (again) and striker Thomas Waddingham (thigh) are additionally sidelined. Midfielder Marlon Pack, winger Josh Murphy and ahead Callum Lang all have hamstring accidents.

Defender Hayden Matthews is a doubt with an ankle downside. On-loan South Korea wideman Minhyeok Yang has been recalled by Tottenham, having scored the third objective of his spell at Portsmouth with their 98th-minute winner towards Charlton.

Arsenal’s Piero Hincapie was changed by Myles Lewis-Skelly in the course of the second half towards Liverpool with a possible hamstring downside.

Fellow defender Cristhian Mosquera and winger Max Dowman have ankle accidents. Full-back Riccardo Calafiori has been out with an unspecified concern.

Portsmouth v Arsenal predicted FA Cup line-ups

Portsmouth beginning XI: Nicolas Schmid, Regan Poole, Conor Shaughnessy, Ibane Bowat, Terry Devlin, Luke Le Roux, Andre Dozzell, Zak Swanson, John Swift, Makenzie Kirk, Adrian Segecic

Arsenal beginning XI: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ben White, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Merino, Noni Madueke

Easy methods to watch Portsmouth v Arsenal: FA Cup TV channel, reside on-line stream

Kick-off on Sunday is at 14:00 GMT (09:00 ET / 06:00 PT). Reside TV protection within the UK is on TNT Sports activities 1 and TNT Sports activities Final.

TNT Sports activities prices £29.99 a month via discovery+, which incorporates Eurosport and leisure and is on the market on an enormous vary of units together with sensible TVs and gaming consoles.

Portsmouth v Arsenal FA Cup 2025/26 stats

• Solely Blackburn Rovers, Norwich Metropolis and Sheffield Wednesday have misplaced extra dwelling matches on this season’s Championship than Portsmouth (5)
• Pompey haven’t stored a clear sheet for 10 matches, final doing so in a 0-0 draw at dwelling to Wrexham on November 5
• Except for Swansea Metropolis (22.8), no crew has fewer anticipated targets within the division in 2025/26 (24)
• They’ve tried the second-most (2,167) and accomplished the third-most (963) lengthy balls within the second tier, though 12 groups can higher than completion share of 44.4 in that respect
• Winger John Swift is one in all 15 gamers within the Championship to have a mean shot distance of greater than 24 yards, scoring with one in all his 16 makes an attempt this season
• Arsenal are 22 matches unbeaten towards Portsmouth, final shedding the fixture 5-4 away in March 1958
• Throughout that run, six of the eight events after they have been held to a draw have been at Fratton Park
• They’ve gained their final 5 conferences with Pompey by an combination of 14-2
• Three of these 5 victories have been away, together with the newest win wherein they prevailed 2-0 within the FA Cup fifth spherical in March 2020
• Arteta’s facet have the perfect away document on this season’s Premier League, registering two extra factors (20) than Tottenham and Aston Villa from one fewer match
• Their common of two factors per sport on the highway is 0.3 forward of the next-nearest crew in that respect, Manchester Metropolis