Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference, held on January 10, 2026, extensively covered the upcoming FA Cup third-round clash against Portsmouth, player availability, and injury updates. Arteta expressed optimism regarding Kai Havertz's potential return, noting that the German midfielder had been training well and was expected to be back in the squad soon, possibly for the Portsmouth game. Regarding other players, Arteta mentioned that Piero Hincapie, who sustained a potential hamstring problem after the Liverpool match, would likely miss the Portsmouth fixture. Similarly, Riccardo Calafiori was also ruled out for the game due to injury. The match itself, played on Sunday, January 11, 2026, saw Arsenal secure a comfortable 4-1 victory over Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the FA Cup third round. Portsmouth initially took a shock early lead through Colby Bishop, but Arsenal quickly equalized with an own goal from Andre Dozzell. Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli was the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick to seal Arsenal's progression to the next round. Notably, Kai Havertz made his comeback from a knee injury, coming off the bench during the second half, fulfilling Arteta's pre-match hopes for his return. The article from Football London accurately reflected Arteta's comments ahead of this significant cup tie.