Mansfield Town came close to a famous FA Cup upset against Premier League leaders Arsenal, only to be denied by substitute Eberechi Eze's second-half strike. The League One side, sitting 16th in the table, had equalised through Will Evans after Noni Madueke's opener, but Eze's composed finish from the edge of the area restored Arsenal's lead.
Evans's goal early in the second half sent the home fans into delirium, cancelling out Madueke's first-half strike. Nigel Clough's team, who have struggled for league wins recently, showed no fear against the quadruple-chasing visitors. They were physical, direct, and created several chances, with Rhys Oates and Louis Reed particularly impressive.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made several changes to his starting line-up, deploying a 3-1-5-1 formation that included 16-year-old debutant Marli Salmon. However, the system struggled, and after Leandro Trossard was forced off injured, Arteta switched to 4-3-3. Madueke's goal came shortly after, but Mansfield continued to press and deservedly levelled when Salmon's weak back pass was seized upon by Evans.
The visitors survived further scares, with 16-year-old Max Dowman impressing in midfield and forcing saves from Liam Roberts. Arsenal introduced Eberechi Eze, last season's FA Cup final hero for Crystal Palace, and he made the decisive contribution moments later.
Mansfield had one last chance in stoppage time, but substitute Oliver Irow's header lacked power. Arteta praised his team's resilience, while Clough could take heart from a performance that nearly produced one of the biggest results in the club's history.
