Martinelli Hat-Trick: Arsenal Cruise, Man Utd Crash Out of FA Cup

Gabriel Martinelli fired Arsenal into the FA Cup fourth round with a scintillating hat-trick in a 4–1 comeback victory over Portsmouth, on a day when Manchester United crashed out of the competition at home to Brighton. The Brazilian forward struck twice from corners and once from open play at Fratton Park, while United’s latest setback added to the pressure around an already turbulent season.
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Arsenal survive early scare

Portsmouth stunned the visitors inside three minutes when Colby Bishop reacted quickest to a rebound to fire the League One side ahead and ignite hopes of a cup upset. Arsenal, heavily rotated but still stacked with quality, hit back almost immediately as Andre Dozzell diverted a corner into his own net under pressure, levelling the tie within eight minutes.
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The equaliser settled the Premier League leaders, who increasingly took control of possession and territory as the first half wore on. Portsmouth, backed by a ferocious home crowd, continued to press aggressively but began to tire against Arsenal’s superior intensity and movement.
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Martinelli’s first Arsenal hat-trick

Martinelli put Arsenal in front midway through the first half, darting to the near post to glance in a Noni Madueke corner for 2–1. After the break he slid in a low Gabriel Jesus cross to extend the lead, before completing his hat-trick with another header from a Madueke corner in the 72nd minute.
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The treble was the Brazilian’s first senior hat-trick for Arsenal and underlined the side’s growing threat from dead balls, with the club now up to 17 goals from corners in all competitions this season. Madueke could have made the scoreline even more emphatic but saw a first-half penalty saved after Martinelli had been fouled in the box.
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Youngster makes history, Havertz returns

Late in the second half, 16-year-old Marli Salmon was introduced from the bench to become Arsenal’s youngest ever player in the FA Cup, capping a memorable night for the club’s academy. There was also a welcome return for Kai Havertz, who made his first appearance since the opening weekend of the season following an injury lay-off.
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The result keeps Arsenal competing on four fronts, with Mikel Arteta’s side chasing silverware in the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and League Cup. With Martinelli rediscovering his scoring touch and key players returning, the London club’s momentum appears to be building ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
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Manchester United beaten by Brighton

Elsewhere, Manchester United suffered another damaging blow as they were beaten 2–1 by Brighton at Old Trafford to exit the FA Cup at the third-round stage. The defeat, coming amid uncertainty over the club’s long-term direction, intensified scrutiny on the squad following a series of inconsistent performances this campaign.
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While Arsenal marched into the next round with a statement win, United’s early elimination highlighted the contrasting trajectories of two of English football’s biggest clubs this season. With further cup ties and league matches ahead, the pressure and expectations around both sides are only set to increase.
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