Our FA Cup journey continues with a trip to Mansfield Town in the fifth round of the competition.
We kick off at 12.15pm (UK time) at One Call Stadium for our first contest against The Stags since 1929, which also came in this competition.
We’re aiming to reach the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time since 2020, when we last lifted the trophy.
stags looking for shock
Nigel Clough’s side have struggled in League One in 2026, with their last victory in the league coming against Port Vale on January 16, 2026.
That run of nine without a win has seen them slip down the table into 16th, just five points clear of the relegation zone.
But their FA Cup run has been a shining light of the season. Having knocked our Harrogate and then Accrington Stanley, Clough’s men stunned Championship side Sheffield United with a 4-3 win at Bramall Lane.
They followed that up with an even bigger upset, coming from a goal down to knock out Premier League side Burnley 2-1 and book a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time since 1975.
What the managers say
Arteta: “I think I’ve been in this country long enough to understand that being favourites doesn’t mean anything when it comes to that competition. At that time of the day, in that ground, I know that they’re going to have the belief, the hope, the conviction that they can beat us, and we need to be very well prepared.”
Clough: “The players know that they won’t be in this position maybe ever again, Mansfield might not play Arsenal again. So without thinking about it, everyone raises their game a little bit.”
“At Burton they still talk about Manchester United 20 years ago, and the fans will talk about it for the rest of their lives. It was Liverpool here 13 years ago and supporters still talk about it. You are trying to create memories so fans are in the pub in five or 10 years and say ‘do you remember when Arsenal came to the One Call and we gave them a good game?'”
Team news
After missing our win at Brighton, William Saliba is a doubt with an ankle injury he picked up against Chelsea.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is missing after picking up yellow cards against Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic in the previous two rounds. Christian Norgaard and Ben White are one yellow away from missing the next round, should we prevail at the One Call Stadium.
As for our hosts, full-back Baily Cargill is expected to miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a hamstring injury. Ryan Sweeney has also picked up a hamstring injury and will also be out of action for an extended period of time. Lastly, right back Luke Bolton, who’s made 18 appearances this season, is expected to miss the contest on Saturday through a calf injury.
Talking Tactics
Ahead of our trip to the Midlands, Adrian Clarke has assessed our FA Cup fifth-round opponents.
He said: “Nigel Clough has been a manager for 28 years, overseeing more than 1,500 matches, so Mikel Arteta is going head-to-head with a shrewd coach boasting vast experience. His team has had real continuity in recent years too, with many players staying with the Stags over a prolonged period. This means they will be organised, tactically disciplined and hardworking without the ball. Mansfield under Clough, consistently do the basics very well.
“The 59-year-old has deployed eight different formations in 2025/26, so nothing is set in stone. His penchant for a back three has been strong in recent months though, so he may opt for an extra defender against us. Therefore, the most likely shape will be a 3-4-2-1, shifting into a 5-4-1 out of possession.
“Defensively they are one of the best outfits in League 1, with central defenders Oshilaja, Blake-Tracey and Knoyle a unit they can rely on. In front of the back three, central midfielder Louis Reed is also a player to look out for. Everything Mansfield Town do, comes through the 28-year-old, who scored with a fabulous direct free kick when they knocked out Burnley in the fourth round. His technical quality is impressive.
“As a team, our fifth-round opponents work hard on giving little away from corners and wide free kicks. Conceding just five set piece goals across the campaign, they will be well prepped for our strength at dead ball situations.
“Keeper Liam Roberts is potentially the Stags’ key man for this tie. He is not the tallest custodian, but his shot-stopping is highly regarded. In the third tier the Stags stopper has the second best save percentage of all the goalkeepers.”
Facts and stats
This is the first meeting against Mansfield Town since January 1929, a match we won 2-0 in the FA Cup. We have only had a bigger gap between games against Lincoln City (102 years, 1915 – 2017) than this 97-year gap against the Stags.
We have progressed from each of their last 15 FA Cup ties against sides from the third tier or below – the last side to knock them out was fourth-tier Wrexham in the third round in 1991/92.
Mansfield Town are into the FA Cup fifth round for only the fifth time ever, and first time since 1974/75 when they lost to Carlisle United. The Stags have reached the quarter-final just once, beating West Ham 3-0 in the fifth round in 1968/69.
We have reached the FA Cup fifth round for just the second time under Mikel Arteta, doing so in 2019/20 previously when we beat Portsmouth at this stage, eventually winning the trophy. We last got knocked out in the fifth round in 2012-13 against Blackburn, a match that Arteta started for the Gunners.
Mansfield boss Nigel Clough will face us as a manager for the first time in this match. His father, Brian Clough, managed his last FA Cup match for Nottingham Forest against us in February 1993 – a match Nigel played in for Forest, losing 2-0.
Gabriel Jesus has been involved in 20 goals in his last 19 domestic cup appearances against teams from outside the Premier League (14 goals, 6 assists), across spells with Man City and us. Jesus has won all 19 of those matches, with his teams having an aggregate winning score of 69-9 in those games.
Match officials
Thomas Bramall will take charge of the contest at the One Call Stadium. Mr Bramall’s only other time refereeing us came back in October, when we defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 at Emirates Stadium.
Constantine Hatzidakis and Alistair Nelson will be his assistants, with Josh Smith appointed as the fourth official.
From the fifth round onwards, VAR will be in operation. As such, this will be used at Mansfield and will be overseen by Paul Tierney, with James Mainwaring assisting him at Stockley Park.
Should the game end in a draw after 90 minutes, the game will go to extra-time. Penalties will decide who goes into the quarter-final should the scores remain level after 120 minutes.
Listen on the arsenal
You can listen to our match at Mansfield by heading to our website or The Arsenal app, where Dan Roebuck and Adrian Clarke will take you through the FA Cup tie.
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