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The third round of the FA Cup takes centre stage this weekend as the big names join the race. A packed schedule brings four matches on Friday, 19 on Saturday, eight on Sunday, and Liverpool v Barnsley on Monday evening. That's great news for armchair fans and football bettors who enjoy shooting for a big win with a stacked FA Cup accumulator.
On this page, we focus on an intriguing match at Fratton Park, where the Championship's Portsmouth plan a giant-killing when hosting Premier League leaders Arsenal. Pompey play the Gunners from 14:00 GMT, and you can follow every tackle, booking, and goal on TV and the top live streaming apps. Will we witness a famous cup upset in Hampshire?
Trusted UK bookmakers offer over 100 pre-match betting markets on Portsmouth v Arsenal. You can keep it simple and predict the match-winner or play one of many eye-catching specials. There are total goals, handicap, first scorer, and more. Keep reading as football betting writer Frank Monkhouse guides you through his preview and predictions.
Portsmouth v Arsenal tips
Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15 (bet365)
Trossard to score @ 7/5 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Total goals - over 2.5
UK betting apps roll out the red carpet for football gamblers ahead of an exciting FA Cup weekend. There's plenty to choose from in the Portsmouth v Arsenal betting, but we open with a play on the totals. You can follow our thinking and bet on this match to produce more than two goals. A 2-2 draw pays the same as a 4-0 win, allowing you to cheer every goal.
Portsmouth are finding life difficult in the second tier this season, and are much closer to the bottom of the Championship than the top. Will John Mourinho's men continue to struggle, or will the FA Cup offer a welcome distraction? The locals lost 5-0 to Bristol City in their most recent outing. They've had a match with Ipswich Town postponed since that beating.
Sticking with Pompey's recent form, they beat Charlton Athletic and Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at this arena last month, proving there's plenty of fight in the squad. Arsenal's recent away form shows a 3-2 win at Dean Court and a 3-0 win in Belgium on Champions League duty. There are goals in this game, and we're backing over 2.5 on Sunday afternoon at a fair price.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/15 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Portsmouth v Arsenal to end with three or more goals in total.
Match winner - Arsenal
We keep things simple for our second bet in Hampshire, backing Arsenal in the match-winner market. Picking the winning side is the most popular and easiest way to gamble on football. Select a team to win, and if they deliver, you secure the profits. The margin of victory, scorers and the time of goals don't impact your chances. You're on the away win.
Sunday will be the first time Portsmouth and Arsenal have met at this venue since March 2020. The Gunners sank their hosts in that FA Cup tie, getting their name in the hat for the next round with a 2-0 victory. Interestingly, the updated head-to-head stats on Flashscore show Arsenal beat Portsmouth by two or more goals in their last four meetings.
Arsenal are from a better division, but that doesn't tell the whole story. The visitors are flying high in the Premier League and the Champions League. They're scoring goals for fun and take heart from several clean sheets. Arsenal kept out Everton, Club Brugge, and Brentford during a packed December schedule. You may wish to add an away win to your cup acca.
Tip: Arsenal win @ 1/4 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If Arsenal beat Portsmouth at Fratton Park, you beat the bookies.
Anytime scorer - Trossard
We're not short of interesting bets on Sunday, especially if you agree with us and expect Arsenal to beat Portsmouth. The main challenge is predicting which players will feature. Will Arteta send a full-strength squad to Fratton Park and go all-in on beating Portsmouth? It's possible, but not likely. The talented coach will be eager to freshen things up a little.
Arteta won't take Portsmouth lightly and send out his reserves, but he will plan to give some of his regular starters a rest, while handing game time to squad players. Who do you expect to start and get the goals for the team from London? We're pinning our hopes on Leandro Trossard, the experienced Belgian forward. He arrives in good form and is a goal threat.
Trossard has been scoring past some big-name opponents this season. He scored against Aston Villa, Tottenham, Sunderland, and Fulham in the Premier League. He banked an EFL Cup goal in a 2-0 away win over Port Vale, and netted in a European Cup win over Athletic Bilbao back in the summer. Back Trossard to score anytime during Sunday's match.
Tip: Trossard to score @ 7/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Trossard must score at least once against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Sunday afternoon.
Portsmouth v Arsenal
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.