Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Mansfield: Gunners Survive Scare to Reach FA Cup Quarterfinal

Arsenal made hard work of their battle against League One opponents.

Arsenal battled to an important victory. | Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images.

Arsenal narrowly avoided an upset as they overcame a spirited Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round, keeping their quadruple dreams alive with a hard-fought 2–1 victory.

Arsenal withstood a flurry of early chances for their League One hosts as they struggled to adapt to a new formation, but an injury to Leandro Trossard and subsequent reversion to their familiar setup reaped instant rewards. Just two minutes after the Belgian was withdrawn, Noni Madueke swept home the opening goal from the edge of the area.

Will Evans benefited from a defensive error after the restart to supply Mansfield with a deserved equalizer, but Arsenal’s individual quality eventually made the difference. Eberechi Eze rose from the bench to thunder home a second for the Premier League leaders.

Despite an entirely uninspiring performance from the much-changed Gunners, Mikel Arteta’s men held firm in the closing stages to punch their ticket to the quarterfinal.

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One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Max Dowman offered glimpses of brilliance. | Jon Super/AFP/Getty Images

Mass rotation was expected from Mikel Arteta but the promotion of two 16-year-olds to the starting lineup underscored the Spaniard’s faith in his academy. Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, who shared a combined nine senior appearances prior to kick off, were named in the starting lineup, rubbing shoulders with a host of first-team stars.

Dowman made history by becoming Arsenal’s youngest ever starter in the FA Cup and was a welcome returnee after a lengthy injury absence. The precocious teenager made an immediate impact, too, seeing an early effort rebuffed and almost grabbing an assist after teeing up Gabriel Martinelli. During a challenging start for the Gunners, Dowman was their brightest spark.

The academy graduate continued to purr as the match progressed, taking every opportunity to drive the ball forward and jink between Mansfield shirts. He was denied a delightful solo goal by the strong palms of Liam Roberts in the second half and was easily the liveliest attacking threat for the sub-par Gunners.

Unfortunately for Salmon, things were more difficult. The youngster’s ambition in possession was commendable, including one neat pirouette, but it was his poor pass that gifted Mansfield their leveler. Salmon’s head subsequently dropped and it was little surprise to see him hooked just after the hour mark as Arteta turned to the experience on his bench.

Mixed fortunes for Arsenal’s teenagers during a surprisingly awkward away day.

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Arsenal Player Ratings vs. Mansfield (3-4-2-1)

Madueke (left) opened the scoring. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga—7.7: Some wayward passing on the bobbly surface offered Mansfield encouragement and was unable to repel Evans’s low drive. Far busier than he would have expected to be.

CB: Marli Salmon—6.7: Sold Cristhian Mosquera short with an under-baked pass which led to the Mansfield goal just after the restart and perhaps could have given away a penalty shortly afterwards. A shame for the youngster after an encouraging first-half display.

CB: Cristhian Mosquera—7.4: Beaten far too easily as Mansfield came close to an early opener and the same can be said for for Evans’s equalizer. After a shaky midweek display on the south coast, the summer signing did little to restore his reputation.

CB: Riccardo Calafiori—6.7: Wholly unconvincing in the opening exchanges but marginally improved once moving to left back late in the first half. Withdrawn late on due to injury to cause Arteta another concern.

RWB: Noni Madueke—8.7: Started at wing back but moved up the pitch after Trossard’s substitution, instantly firing an exquisite strike into the top corner—the effort marking Arsenal’s 100th goal of the campaign.

CM: Christian Nørgaard—8.2: Offered a measure of control in the engine room which was much-needed against a highly motivated Mansfield side.

CM: Kai Havertz—7.1: Clearly marked as Arsenal’s main playmaking threat, Havertz was pressed relentlessly and failed to conjure any magic against his third tier opponents.

LWB: Gabriel Martinelli—7.7: Notched an assist as he set up Madueke but was lacking finesse otherwise. Unable to replicate his heroics against Portsmouth in the third round.

RF: Max Dowman—7.8: An absolutely terrific individual showing from Dowman, who exhibited the confidence and quality of someone 10 years his senior.

ST: Gabriel Jesus—6.7: Bar an effort cleared off the line, Jesus offered nothing while leading the Arsenal attack.

LF: Leandro Trossard—6.9: The Belgian’s sloppy performance was brought to an early end as he trudged off injured before the break.

SUB: Piero Hincapié (38’ for Trossard)—6.8: The Ecuadorian’s arrival proved a turning point, allowing Arsenal to utilize their preferred system as he slotted in at center back.

SUB: Jurriën Timber (62’ for Salmon)—6.3: Somewhat eased Arsenal’s defensive concerns after his introduction.

SUB: Eberechi Eze (62’ for Havertz)—7.1: Swiftly breached the Mansfield goal with a pinpoint finish that restored Arsenal’s advantage. He simply loves playing in the FA Cup.

SUB: Jaden Dixion (77’ for Calafiori)—N/A: An uneventful debut for the youngster.

SUB: Bukayo Saka (77’ for Dowman)—6.6: Spurned one solid chance to finish the tie off.

Subs not used: Tommy Setford (GK), Ife Ibrahim, Andre Harriman-Annous, Viktor Gyökeres.

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What the Ratings Tell Us

Arteta failed to get the best out of Gabriel Jesus. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images.

• Noni Madueke opened the scoring with a beautiful effort after initially struggling in an unfamiliar wing-back role. The ex-Chelsea man exploded into life once moved up the right wing, surely bringing an end to any future experiments with his role.
• On a day in which Arsenal struggled to control proceedings, the experience of Christian Nørgaard came in handy in the middle of the park. The 31-year-old was a steady presence in possession despite often finding himself isolated and even popped up with an assist for Eze’s strike. With Mikel Merino out for the long haul, the Dane’s form could be crucial down the stretch as Arsenal fight on four fronts.
• After watching Viktor Gyökeres’s ineffective midweek display at Brighton & Hove Albion, Gabriel Jesus decided to follow suit at Mansfield. The Brazilian was rarely involved for Arsenal and serves up another headache for Arteta moving forward as he attempts to unlock his two strikers.

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The Numbers That Explain Arsenal’s Hard-Fought Triumph

Eze delivered the decisive blow. | Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images.

• Mansfield racked up 11 shots and 1.21 xG during an enthralling opening 45 minutes, Arsenal struggling to cope with the direct approach of Nigel Clough’s side. It’s the most shots the Gunners have faced in a first half all season.
• Arsenal were reliant on two gorgeous finishes to conquer their hosts but spurned all four of their big chances. They were lacking the ruthless edge in front of goal that would have made their lives much simpler.
• Despite boasting 67% possession across the tie, the Gunners were susceptible to swift counter attacks. A mish-mash midfield left them exposed in transition.
• Arsenal netted their 100th and 101st goals of the season in the Midlands—an impressive feat with over two months remaining this term.

Statistic	Mansfield	Arsenal
Possession	33%	67%
Expected Goals (xG)	1.99	2.73
Total Shots	18	19
Shots on Target	5	8
Big Chances	1	4
Passing Accuracy	73%	84%
Fouls Committed	16	6
Corners	4	8

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