Portsmouth vs Arsenal Predictions

• Portsmouth have scored two or more in 14 of their last 15 matches at Fratton Park.
• Portsmouth have twice scored multiple goals against higher-level opposition this season.
• Arsenal have drawn each of their last five away matches in the League, as well as eight of 13 overall this term.

Pompey on the up

Friday night saw Portsmouth win another match at Fratton Park, where they’re unbeaten in League One this term and where they’ve only lost once in all competitions since April 2019. Facing Premier League opposition won’t be easy but, given their current form, Pompey will fancy themselves to make life tough for the Gunners, who’ve not exactly thrived on the road this term.

This will be a real test for Kenny Jackett’s men, who’re very much in the promotion mix in League One. But the fact they’ve been winning for fun at home should provide encouragement. The fact they notched four goals en route to beating Championship-side Barnsley in the previous round is another positive.

Gunners look to bounce back

Despite holding an advantage after their trip to Greece, Arsenal crashed out of the Europa League on Thursday night. Mikel Arteta’s men will be looking to console themselves by reaching the quarter finals of the FA Cup. To do that, they’ll have to get the better of a Portsmouth side anything but easy to beat in front of their own crowd.

Arsenal obviously come into this fixture as big favourites. They’re up against a side from the third division and are thus expected by most to make light work of reaching the next round. However, they’ve not exactly thrived away from home this term, winning just two out of 13 in the league, while they were outplayed for large parts of the last round when facing Championship opposition.

Neither of those two facts bode well ahead of a trip to a ground that is one of the toughest venues for away teams to visit; not just in League One but in the country.

Home goals on the cards

They’re up against Premier League opposition but that might not be enough to stop Portsmouth continuing their excellent scoring form at home. An attractive option in the betting is ‘Portsmouth to Score Over 1.5 Goals’.

Pompey have scored two or more in each of their last nine at home, one of which was a game against higher-level opposition, while they’ve scored at least twice in 14 of their last 15 at Fratton Park. Clean sheets have been few and far between for Arsenal on the road this term, while we all know how prone to defensive mistakes the current Gunners’ rearguard are.

‘Correct Score’ punters can try a 2-2 draw. We know Arsenal have lots of attacking ability, but their defensive exploits are such, even a League One side should fancy themselves to do plenty of damage. Portsmouth have scored exactly twice in six of their last 10 fixtures at Fratton Park, while the Gunners have drawn each of their last five on the road, drawing 2-2 on three separate occasions.