Burnley v Arsenal - FA Cup - Sunday January 6, 2pm

Big boys to start at Turf Moor

Personally I'm very eager to see if we get far in the FA Cup this season. Many people don't give it too much importance, but if we fail to win the league, which is highly likely, the FA Cup would be great. Seems ages ago since we last won it in 05, with Jens saving Scholes' penalty, and thus denying Roy Keane of a trophy in what would turn out to be his last chance to get a trophy for United.

Things have changed drastically since then, we have lost two captains and won nothing. However, there is a beleieve amongst fans and players of Arsenal that this could be our year. The Fa Cup is one of my favourite tournaments so I hope that we field a strong side in respect of our opponents.

The Daily Mail reckon we will play our first choice eleven

Premier League stars get FA Cup call as Arsenal save youngsters for crunch clash with Tottenham

Arsene Wenger has decided that his Premier League big guns will launch Arsenal's bid for the FA Cup this weekend because he wants to ensure that his youngsters are rested and fully prepared to face Tottenham in the Carling Cup semi-final next week.

Having regained top spot from Manchester United with an unbeaten fivematch run over the Christmas holiday period, the Gunners will now focus on the twin challenges presented by the domestic cups.

They meet Burnley at Turf Moor in the FA Cup third round on Sunday and three days later bid for a place in the Carling Cup Final when they face their north London rivals in the first leg of the semi-final at the Emirates Stadium.

Normally Wenger would be tempted to play some of his younger players in an FA Cup tie against Championship opponents but he wants to be sure they are all fit to continue their remarkable progress in the Carling Cup.
The average age of the team that has knocked out Newcastle, Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers is 21 and the Arsenal manager wants to retain faith with the same players for the two-legged semi-final against Tottenham.

"I've decided that it will be the first team that plays at Burnley on Sunday," he said.

Wenger's ability to exchange one complete 11-man line-up for another of almost equal quality underlines just how successful he's been in scouring the globe for players.

There was little doubt that Arsenal would retain their two-point lead over Manchester United from the moment that Croatian striker Eduardo scored the first goal after just 70 seconds of yesterday's comfortable 2-0 win over West Ham at the Emirates.

It was a victory that completed a profitable Christmas programme and sent Arsenal into the New Year in good spirits. "2008 must be great!" said Wenger when he wished the media a happy New Year after the match.

Faced with crisis headlines just a couple of weeks ago, Arsenal got back on track with 13 points from the five matches - three London derbies and two tough away games - that followed the early-December blips at Middlesbrough and Newcastle.

The season of goodwill has also revealed Arsenal's tough underbelly and their willingness to adopt route one football when required.

This direct style of play was successful in the 4-1 defeat of Everton and again yesterday when West Ham's central defenders Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson were exposed by Arsenal's switch of emphasis.

"When they meet us some teams now play 4-5-1, mark tight and push high up the field," said Wenger. "With the pace and power of the players we have this allows us to get into the space behind their central defenders. It gives us an option."

West Ham, buoyed by the win over Manchester United that helped Arsenal regain leadership in the title race, competed for every ball in the first half but still conceded two goals.

"I think it was just one game too many for us over the holiday period," said West Ham manager Alan Curbishley. "From the moment Eduardo scored it was an uphill task for us. I think both sides ran out of legs in the second half. It was a very tired effort - especially from us. I think the Manchester United game took a lot out of us."

With an unprecedented 13 players injured - former Arsenal hero Freddie Ljungberg became the 14th in the 37th minute - West Ham simply didn't have the quality to respond when Arsenal took a grip on the game.

Eduardo's classy finish exposed the hesitancy in the heart of West Ham's defence. He took a cross from Cesc Fabregas on his chest and was given the time to turn and drive the ball past Robert Green for his fifth goal in his last three appearances. "It was a great goal from a clinical finisher," said Wenger.
West Ham had chances of their own in an enthralling first half with Mark Noble, Carlton Cole, John Pantsil, Ljungberg and Ferdinand all testing Manuel Almunia.

But the game was over as a true contest when a long pass from the impressive Gael Clichy caught Ferdinand and Upson out of position, allowing Emmanuel Adebayor to nudge the ball beyond the advancing Green and score from an almost impossible angle.

It will be a difficult game as all cup games in this country are but needless to say we should should end up comfortable winners. Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue will both start thier last game before jetting of to Africa to represent the Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations.

Both men set to feature against

Burnley