Gabriel Martinelli netted a hat-trick as Arsenal swept past Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round, prompting manager Mikel Arteta to applaud the Brazilian's response to recent fan backlash.
Just three days after being criticised for attempting to pull Liverpool's Conor Bradley off the pitch during a goalless draw – an action for which Martinelli later apologised – the winger starred with his first treble for the club.
Arteta said: 'That's why to play for a big club, you need a big personality because it can be bad... three days later, there is a game. So you need to lift yourself up and make it count.'
Two of Martinelli's goals came from corner routines, underlining Arsenal's prowess as set-piece specialists. Arteta revealed the forward had predicted his success, saying: 'Yesterday, he was talking about it.'
The victory also saw Kai Havertz return from injury as a substitute, while Arteta confirmed defender Piero Hincapie would be assessed on Monday after limping off against Liverpool.
