2025-26 FA Cup: Fifth Round – Mansfield vs Arsenal

Mansfield Town look to spring a cupset as they host Arsenal in the fifth round of the 2025-26 FA Cup. 

Victory would see Mansfield reach the Quarter-Finals for the first time since the 1968-69 season, whilst Arsenal seek a first appearance in the last eight since they won the competition in 2019-20 campaign.

 

Team News

Luke Bolton is a doubt for Mansfield after he suffered an unspecified injury during their goalless draw at Rotherham on Tuesday evening.

Baily Cargill and Ryan Sweeney remain absent due to hamstring injuries.

Arsenal could welcome William Saliba and Martin Odegaard back from respective ankle and knee injuries, which kept the pair out of the Gunners’ 1-0 Premier League victory at Brighton.

Ben White (muscle) and Mikel Merino (foot) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Mansfield host Arsenal at Field Mill on Saturday 7 March at 12:15pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Mansfield lost 2-0 in their only previous FA Cup meeting against Arsenal in January 1929 away at Highbury.
• Arsenal are making their first competitive visit to Mansfield in all competitions.
• Mansfield have lost each of their two previous FA Cup ties at home to Premier League opposition (L2), as they lost 2-0 to Middlesbrough in fourth round in 2007-08 then 2-1 to Liverpool in third round in 2012-13 season.
• Four of Arsenal’s eight goals in this season’s FA Cup have been scored by Gabriel Martinelli.

 

Prediction

Whilst their league form has dipped with no victories in their last nine third-tier matches, Mansfield at least are taking this cup run seriously as evidenced by their fightback at Burnley in the fourth round, but they now need to be at their defensive and clinical best if want a cupset here.

Arsenal meanwhile clinically dispatched Brighton through Bukayo Saka’s early winner but there is no denying that they defensively rode their luck, so I expect Mikel Arteta to rotate his squad especially with a tough Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen to come on Wednesday.

I however do expect Arsenal to be far too strong for Mansfield irrespective of how many changes Arteta makes, so this on paper should be an one-sided result.

Prediction: Mansfield 0-3 Arsenal

Result: Mansfield 1-2 Arsenal