The main stand at the oldest professional football ground in the world shook. It was the moment to ignite Mansfield Town dreams, a goal from the substitute Will Evans early in the second half to hint at something extraordinary.
It ought to have been a mismatch. Quadruple-chasing Arsenal, the top team in England and Europe so far this season, against the one that sits 16th in League One. It was anything but and now Evans had cancelled out Noni Madueke’s first-half opener.
The Mansfield fans were delirious; disbelieving, too. Nigel Clough’s team, after all, cannot buy a league win at present. It was only the fifth time that Mansfield had reached the FA Cup fifth round; the previous occasion was in 1975. Only once have they made it to the quarter-finals – in 1969. Was one of the biggest results in their history about to play out?
Arsenal cut through the romance. They had the outstanding player on the pitch in the 16-year-old midfielder Max Dowman – a celebration of drive and balance – and they had the answers.
It said plenty about the outstanding collective effort from Mansfield that Mikel Arteta had to turn to one of his big guns on the bench. He introduced Eberechi Eze, who was the hero of last season’s final in this competition for Crystal Palace. Minutes later, Eze had fizzed a shot high into the Mansfield net from the edge of the area to break their hearts.
Mansfield fought until the end and there was a half-chance for the substitute Oliver Irow in stoppage time. The header, though, lacked power and Arsenal could tick off a difficult assignment on a tricky pitch. Arteta wanted to maintain the club’s momentum; he did not want any ripples from an upset. He got his wish.
The Arsenal manager had rotated heavily after the midweek win at Brighton – as he was always going to do. What was surprising was his starting system. It was best classified as 3-1-5–1 with Christian Nørgaard in front a back three that featured the 16-year-old full debutant Marli Salmon on the right. Dowman, Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard formed a fluid central midfield trio. “It was [dictated by] the players that were available,” Arteta said. “We trained it once. For ten minutes.”
It did not work. When Trossard was forced off in the 38th minute, Arteta brought on Piero Hincapié and switched to 4-3-3. Almost immediately Arsenal went in front. Madueke saw a shot kept out by Liam Roberts but when he tried again from the edge of the area after Gabriel Martinelli worked it back to him, the ball fizzed high past the goalkeeper.
Clough had promised that his players would “make it as uncomfortable as possible” for Arsenal and he could be delighted at how they rose to the challenge. They did not show Arteta’s team too much respect. They were physical and direct but there was a commitment, as well, to playing their football, to having a go. If there was a forward pass to be played, they played it. If there was a shooting opportunity, they shot.
Rhys Oates was a barrelling presence up front while the captain, Louis Reed, led by example in midfield. Reed extended Kepa Arrizabalaga on 12 minutes after Oates had got around Cristhian Mosquera and, on the second phase, Oates saw an effort deflect past the post. Shortly afterwards, Tyler Roberts was just off target and there was also the moment in the 33rd minute when Oates beat Riccardo Calafiori to drill over a low ball. Arrizabalaga’s handling was sound. Arsenal looked raw and vulnerable with three at the back.
Dowman was gloriously easy on the eye, his touch so true, those beautiful feints allowing him to canter away from opponents – especially in tight spaces. On only his second career start, the 16-year-old was a persistent threat. He blew an early one-on-one with Liam Roberts and banged another shot straight at the goalkeeper on the half hour after initiating a smart counter.
Mansfield believed that there was something in it for them and the equaliser came when Salmon left a back pass short for Mosquera and Evans nipped in. He surged up the inside left channel to slam a low finish past Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal were not down for long. Dowman almost restored their lead after a scintillating switch of feet; again, Liam Roberts saved his shot. Mansfield also had Kyle Knoyle to thank for a goalline clearance to deny Gabriel Jesus after another Dowman burst.
Eze had replaced the ineffective Havertz by then and he would make the difference. Arteta sent on the 18-year-old Jaden Dixon for his debut at right-back – he replaced Calafiori who, like Trossard, had a niggle – and Arsenal had chances for a third goal.
For Mansfield, there was pride but also regret. “We’ve got that little nagging feeling in our stomach,” Clough said. “We had an opportunity today and we could have nicked it.”
