Portsmouth – Arsenal

The visitors will field a lineup for the match that could be within Portsmouth's capabilities.

Portsmouth Football Club from the city of Portsmouth spent seven consecutive seasons in the Premier League two decades ago. It cannot boast two English championships in its current history. Last season the team returned from the First Division, where it had spent a fairly long spell, but now again faces the threat of relegation. In the Championship Portsmouth sits on the outer edge of the relegation zone, with one game in hand. The team's position is not catastrophic, but it can certainly be described as dangerous. Like Arsenal, Portsmouth will begin its participation in the national cup from the 1/32 finals stage. In the second most prestigious cup competition, the English League Cup, Pompey were eliminated in the very first round, failing to overcome Reading's resistance on their own ground. Under these circumstances Portsmouth's chances of success in the upcoming match cannot be called zero. And this is not only about the relative weakness of this team, but also about its opponent. Arsenal, as reigning champions, have endured a busy period of Premier League fixtures, the Boxing Day period in England. The Gunners, in four matches, have earned ten of twelve possible points. Although Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the English League Cup, Mikel Arteta, in matches like the upcoming ones, among others, has fielded academy graduates as young as 18. They dealt with Brighton in that tournament, but it's not certain they can cope with Portsmouth if the players of this team play good football on their home turf. The probability of such a lineup choice by the Spanish coach is very high. Undoubtedly, the immediate reserves of the first team will also get playing time, but this also increases the hosts' chances. Two full days before the match with Portsmouth Arsenal played a grueling match against Liverpool, and two full days after the Portsmouth match the Gunners face no less a difficult clash with Chelsea. Moreover, over the next three days the schedule includes Arsenal's away trips to Nottingham Forest and Inter Milan. So where else should the players of the London club rest if not in the upcoming cup confrontation? Let's bet that the opponents will perform creditably in a match featuring a mixed lineup of the visiting side.