Arsenal secured their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Mansfield on Saturday afternoon.
The victory meant Mikel Arteta’s side remain in all competitions this season, with some ambitious fans eyeing up a historic quadruple.
While Gunners ultimately controlled most of the game, the League One hosts made it difficult for the visitors at the One Call Stadium.
Noni Madueke broke the deadlock in the 41st minute with a superb left-footed strike into the top corner, marking the Gunners’ 100th goal of the campaign.
However, as play resumed in the second half, Will Evans bagged an equaliser, giving the home fans something to cheer about.
It was Eberechi Eze who won it for the Gunners, holding off the defender, shifting the ball to his right, and rifling a right-footed shot into the top corner.
Mansfield manager Nigel Clough had promised to make life uncomfortable for the visitors, and his players delivered on that pledge with a spirited attacking display.
The League One side registered 18 attempts on goal, with five testing Kepa Arrizabalaga, an impressive tally even accounting for Arsenal’s second-string midfield and defence.
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Substitute Will Evans hauled the hosts level just five minutes after the restart, capitalising on a misplaced pass from teenager Marli Salmon before drilling a composed finish beneath the goalkeeper.
The One Call Stadium erupted as Mansfield sensed an upset, with Evans adding to his reputation as a cup specialist having previously netted against Manchester United for Newport.
Concerns over Arsenal’s fitness emerged during the contest, with two players forced off through injury.
Leandro Trossard pulled up in the 38th minute and was replaced by Piero Hincapie, who slotted into centre-back as the formation shifted to a more conventional back four.
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Riccardo Calafiori then departed in the 75th minute after awkwardly hooking the ball forward on the halfway line, making way for Jaden Dixon, a recent signing from Stoke’s youth setup.
Arteta will be hoping both issues prove precautionary rather than serious setbacks, with the Gunners chasing silverware on multiple fronts this season.
The manager’s experimental 3-1-6 system deployed from kick-off left Arsenal looking vulnerable, with Mansfield firing in nine shots before the half-hour mark.
Arteta’s tactical gamble saw Martinelli and Madueke operating as nominal wing-backs in an attacking shape that proved too open against the determined hosts.
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Teenage midfielder Max Dowman caught the eye despite the unconvincing team display.
The youngster earned himself chants of “Super Maxy Dowman” from travelling supporters after several driving runs through midfield.
Fellow youngster Salmon also showed promise at the back, though his underhit pass led directly to Evans’s equaliser.
Ultimately, two moments of Premier League quality from Madueke and Eze proved sufficient to see off Mansfield’s challenge.
