A youthful Arsenal survived a major scare against League One Mansfield to progress through to the FA Cup quarter-finals and keep their hopes of a quadruple alive.
Mikel Arteta named a surprising XI and a dramatic shift in formation as he opted to rotate his side ahead of a busy run-in.
This nearly proved to be the Gunners’ downfall though, as they had to overcome a period of sustained pressure from Nigel Clough’s side in order to make it through to the last eight of the competition.
The Premier League leaders looked unsettled from the get-go by both the condition of the pitch and their own set-up as they struggled to adapt to their 3-4-3 formation. It led to the Stags looking the most likely to take the initiative, as they managed eight efforts on goal to Arsenal’s three after the opening quarter of an hour.
However, an injury to Leandro Trossard offered Arteta a chance to switch to a more natural back four shape and allowed his side to get into second gear.
As a result, Noni Madueke, who had been holding back as a makeshift right wing-back before the tweak, fired home splendidly close to half-time to give the heavy favourites the breakthrough.
Substitute Will Evans equalised for Mansfield against Arsenal
Any thoughts that this would lead to one-way traffic in the second-half were quickly eradicated, however. Marli Salmon, 16, gifted possession to substitute Will Evans who breezed past Cristhian Mosquera and slotted home five minutes after the break to send the One Call Stadium into raptures.
Teenager Max Dowman impressed yet again for a much-changed Gunners
It seemed as though momentum was with the hosts as they pushed for an unlikely second. Despite the likes of the other 16-year-old on the pitch in Max Dowman starring at the other end of the pitch, Arteta was forced to flex his muscles to get his side back ahead.
Marli Salmon and Stephen McLaughlin battle for the ball
Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka were sent on from the bench, and it was the former who unleashed a rocket past Liam Roberts to put the Gunners ahead.
Eberechi Eze celebrates after firing Arsenal into a 2-1 lead at Mansfield
Roberts would also have to be on hand to produce a brilliant save with his feet to deny Saka from getting in on the act.
The valiant effort from the side 59 places worse off in the football pyramid proved to come to nothing, as the Premier League leaders held on despite late sustained late pressure to book their place in the quarter-final draw on Monday night.
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