Daily Mirror

Now Curtis wants Gunners in fifth

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RONAN CURTIS is gunning for a shot at his beloved Arsenal after sending Portsmouth’s marathon men into the fifth round for the first time in 10 years.

Curtis was one of Barnsley’s main tormentors as League One Portsmouth swept the Championsh­ip strugglers aside at Fratton Park in the FA Cup.

The Ireland forward said: “We did really well. I’m just glad and all the lads are just glad that we’re in the next round.

“I’m an Arsenal fan, so hopefully we’ll get the Gunners next. It would be nice to get a big, big side and hopefully we can perform to the best of our ability.”

Pompey have already played 38 games this season after reaching the third round of the League Cup and semi-finals of the EFL Trophy.

And Curtis is confident that Kenny Jackett’s men can take the strain while trying to battle their way out of the third tier. He added: “We’ve got a bigger depth to our squad this year. We have played 25 games in the league, we’ve got another two games in hand and are seven points off top spot.

“I think we can do it this year, the way we’re playing right now, no team can stop us. Beating a team in the league above so comprehens­ively shows where we are.

“We performed to the best of our ability, every single boy did so we’re just glad we can perform to 110 per cent and get the fans cheering us like they did for 95 minutes.”

Curtis also pledged his future to Pompey after being linked with a £3million move to Blackburn.

He said: “Nothing is happening yet and there are no talks about me staying or going. I love the club to pieces, I love this city and all I can do is play my football.”

Porstmouth took the tie away from Barnsley with two goals in eight minutes at the end of the first half courtesy of Ben Close and poacher John Marquis. Curtis and

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