Long-serving favourite Gareth Evans reveals what it felt like to skipper Portsmouth against might of Premier League Arsenal

The firm fans’ favourite savoured being named skipper as the Blues gave the Premier League boys a real test of their credentials before succumbing to a 2-0 FA Cup fifth round defeat last night.

Evans only found out he was being given captain duties shortly before kick-off, and the long-serving midfielder told how wasn’t even expecting to be involved against the Gunners after finding himself out of the first-team picture of late.

The 31-year-old has been left out of three of the past four squads and has started just a single league game since a goal and man-of-the-match performance at Gillingham on New Year’s Day.

But the man who’s made the most Blues appearances of the current squad was thrust back in at the deep end against Mikel Arteta’s high-class young stars - and that gave him a night he will cherish.

Evans said: ‘I was proud to wear the armband.

‘I found out I had the armband just after the manager read the team out, just after we went to put the team-sheets in.

‘Joe (Gallen) told me that we were going to the ref’s room. It was a nice surprise.

‘If the truth be told I wasn’t even expecting to play.

‘We’ve had a lot of games in quick succession and the league is the priority.

‘But when games come along like this and you get the chance to captain the team against a club like Arsenal it’s an opportunity you have to take with both hands.

‘It was something I really enjoyed and won’t forget.’

The occasion and atmosphere was everything which was expected as Pompey went up against one of English football’s powerhouses for the first time in nearly a decade.

Fratton Park crackled under the lights as Kenny Jackett’s men came forcefully out of the blocks and put the Gunners on the back foot.

But the Londoner’s quality and ability to operate at a searing pace was apparent and eventually too much for Pompey.

There was no shame in the outcome, however, and both Evans and his team-mates knew there was much to take from the experience.

He added: ‘You don’t normally experience it at the level you’re playing.

‘You find yourself marking more than one player and they seem to find 10 yards of space.

‘Once they do fire, there’s a quick pass and a quick turn. It’s one more pass and they are in on goal.

‘It’s just so quick. You blink your eyes and they are in. That’s the difference between the Premier League and League One.

‘But I feel we’ve got something to be proud of. It’s been a good little run in the Cup.

‘I think we knew we would never win it, but you progress to try to get nights like this one.

‘When they come along you have to enjoy them and I think, to a man in the changing room, we did.’