FA Cup: Arsenal vs Manchester United Preview

   Its Matchday! Arsenal face Manchester United in the blockbuster clash of the FA Cup Quarter Final.

   The Gunners head in to this game with very dismal record against their opponents. They have failed to win any of their last 7 matches against them and last tasted victory at the Old Trafford in 2006. Since then, it has been a story of pain and torture.

   But this time, I believe, the story might be different. Arsenal are operating at near full strength with almost every first choice player available for tonight barring Debuchy. Moreover, the Londoners have a plan and armoury to get the right result as they displayed in the league game against Manchester City in January.

Francis Coquelin

   The key man for them will be the newly found hero Francis Coquelin. He is the comeback story of the season and has put up consistent defensive performance helping team to 10 wins out of last 12 in the league games which he has played in. Talking of his consistency, no one pointed finger on him even in the disastrous Monaco game. His work on pitch ahead of the back four has been very vital and of high quality.

   In the attack, we have almost every player fit and in better than good form at the moment. The leading goal scoring Gunners Sanchez and Giroud have scored 32 goals which is more than the tally of 29 scored by quartet of Rooney, van Persie, Falcao and di Maria. Plus we have goals coming from midfield with Özil, Rosicky, Ramsey and Cazorla scoring 21 though not all will start tonight. As I said in last post, in form Mesut is likely to be the key in attack.

   Wenger understands the importance of this match and is likely to field a strong lineup in this winner takes it all clash. This is how I think the starting XI may look like
Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Sanchez, Özil, Santi, Giroud

   Come On You Gunners. Let's do it.