Arsenal eager to put haunting Europa League exit behind them: 10 THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN FA CUP
This is a rather special round of FA Cup action, with it all taking place in midweek for the very first time. The action commences on Monday night as Portsmouth host Arsenal, and clubs are again starting to dream of securing their spot at Wembley.
There are some enthralling ties ahead of us, with Chelsea hosting Premier League champions-elect Liverpool while Wayne Rooney prepares for a special reunion with former side Manchester United at Pride Park.
Here, Sportsmail runs you through the 10 things to keep a close eye on when the FA Cup fifth-round action gets underway on Monday night…
Manchester City are looking to successfully defend their FA Cup crown this campaign
CAN ARSENAL PUT EUROPA LEAGUE EXIT BEHIND THEM?
When Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed the golden chance to seal Arsenal’s progression to the last-16 of the Europa League, players and fans alike sunk to their knees after being stunned by Olympiacos.
After picking up a winning formula under manager Mikel Arteta, the Gunners were dealt a haunting setback as their likeliest hope of securing a Champions League spot next season evaded them on Thursday night.
The Gunners went into the clash as massive favourites to progress but were rocked at the Emirates and talk immediately turned to how they would bounce back with an FA Cup fixture around the corner and the business end of the Premier League season approaching.
And you can expect Arteta to go strong on Monday night at Fratton Park as Arsenal desperately look to ensure they aren’t knocked out of two cup competitions in the space of four days.
Defeat against Portsmouth and all of a sudden the doom and gloom will be back.
Arsenal will be desperate to bounce back after they were stunned by Olympiacos on Thursday
PORTSMOUTH TAKING INSPIRATION FROM 2008 HEROES
It seems a long time ago since Portsmouth triumphed in the FA Cup. Their 1-0 victory against Cardiff at Wembley in 2008 came thanks to Nwankwo Kanu’s winner.
They were beaten finalists just two years later but since then Pompey have plummeted through the football pyramid amid major financial problems.
But things have slowly picked up again for Portsmouth and on Monday against Arsenal television cameras will be at a sold-out Fratton Park to see if the hosts can massively upset the odds. Manager Kenny Jackett is relishing the task ahead, hoping it can signal the start of bigger and better things.
Jackett said: ‘Monday night, there will be a national focus on us and that will be great, and hopefully we can have many more.
‘You’re playing against one of the genuinely great clubs in this country. It’s a great game for us. They don’t come along often so you have to be enthusiastic about it. It’s a fantastic tie, a mouthwatering one and definitely one we’re looking forward to.’
Portsmouth will be eyeing a huge scalp when they host Arsenal at Fratton Park on Monday
HOW STRONG WILL JURGEN KLOPP GO AGAINST CHELSEA?
It appeared that Liverpool would never be stopped but on Saturday evening Watford finally ended the club’s remarkable 44-game Premier League unbeaten run – just five short of Arsenal’s astonishing record.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side were left shell-shocked after collapsing 3-0 at Vicarage Road following a brace from Ismaila Sarr and a third from Troy Deeney.
The defeat has now given Klopp a selection headache ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Chelsea in the FA Cup. Can he afford to pick his youngsters again, who have shone this season in both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, at Stamford Bridge?
You would no doubt back Frank Lampard’s side to progress if Klopp did opt for youth at Stamford Bridge. But the German will definitely not want this blip to turn into a run of poor form.
Yes, the Premier League might be all but wrapped up, but Klopp will be desperate for Liverpool to end the season in style and will still be targeting glory in both the FA Cup and Champions League as well.
Jurgen Klopp faces a selection dilemma ahead of the fifth-round clash away at Chelsea
KEPA HAS THE CHANCE TO PROVE FRANK LAMPARD WRONG
Kepa Arrizabalaga is enduring his toughest spell to date in England following his £72million move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2018, when he was brought in to replace Thibaut Courtois.
Kepa has been dropped to the bench for Chelsea’s last six games in all competitions, with Frank Lampard opting to choose Willy Caballero ahead of him after the Spanish No 1 came in for plenty of criticism for his poor form.
It has been a torrid time for the Spaniard but Tuesday may represent the chance for Kepa to re-stake his claim as Chelsea’s No 1 and prove to Lampard that he can be a success in the long run.
If the 25-year-old can keep Liverpool’s deadly attack at bay, that could go a long way to winning back the support of manager Lampard and the Chelsea faithful in west London.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has the chance to prove Chelsea manager Frank Lampard wrong
PHIL FODEN DESPERATE TO FLOURISH AGAIN
Manchester City enjoyed some respite on Sunday afternoon when they lifted the Carabao Cup title after beating Aston Villa 2-1 at Wembley – it was their third triumph in as many years in the competition.
It has been a hugely difficult couple of weeks for City after they were handed their two-year Champions League ban but they have since let their football do the talking, following up their brilliant victory at Real Madrid by lifting yet another trophy on the weekend.
And a huge reason why they reigned supreme once again was down to the brilliance of Phil Foden in the middle of the park for City, who view him as the perfect long-term replacement for club legend David Silva.
The English youngster was a class act throughout at Wembley on the biggest stage of all, setting City on their way to glory after producing an excellent assist for Sergio Aguero’s opener.
Pep Guardiola is likely to hand Foden another start in the FA Cup on Wednesday night against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. If he flourishes yet again for City, it may well spell the start of a consistent run of games for the 19-year-old.
Phil Foden will be hoping to flourish again after shining in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday
TROY PARROTT’S TIME TO SHINE?
Despite desperately chasing an equaliser at home to Wolves in the Premier League and having no out-and-out strikers available, Jose Mourinho still waited until injury-time to give Troy Parrott his chance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It left many questioning the manager’s decision but after the final whistle, Mourinho claimed: ‘He is not ready, he is not ready. He’s a good kid, a good talent, he’s a kid we want to help. He’s a kid who needs help, not just on the pitch but outside the pitch.
‘He’s a kid we are going to take care of like we have since the beginning and he’s a kid who is obviously going to have a real opportunity in the right moment when we feel it is the moment.’
Dele Alli played as a makeshift striker during the 3-2 defeat by Wolves but it remains to be seen whether Mourinho will alter his tactics and give Parrott a chance against Norwich in the FA Cup on Wednesday.
It would appear a relatively low risk to give the highly rated 18-year-old more game time on Wednesday, considering they head into the clash as big favourites against a Norwich side who perhaps are focusing on retaining their Premier League status.
Striker Troy Parrott will be hoping for more game time against Norwich on Wednesday
A ROONEY REUNION
While it might not be the most glamorous clash of the fifth round, Derby vs Manchester United at Pride Park on Thursday night is certainly one for the romantics.
It represents a special night for ex-England captain Wayne Rooney, who is set to come up against his former side following his return to England from MLS outfit DC United.
Rooney scored a staggering total of 253 goals in 559 appearances for United – holding the record as the club’s top scorer in history.
The 34-year-old won it all at Old Trafford, claiming five Premier League titles, one Champions League, one Europa League, one FA Cup and three League Cups, as well as one FIFA Club World Cup.
So you can certainly expect the majority of the stories from the FA Cup encounter to revolve around the former United and England striker.
Wayne Rooney is set to be the centre of attention when Derby host Manchester United
JUDE BELLINGHAM AIMS TO INFLICT MORE MISERY ON LEICESTER
He might only be 16 years of age but when the likes of Manchester United, City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona come calling for your services, you know Jude Bellingham has the world at his feet.
The teenage sensation has been one of the stories of the season and is set to spark a bidding war in the summer after making 34 appearances in the Championship for Birmingham, scoring four goals and providing two assists from the heart of midfield.
And on Wednesday he will be eyeing a Premier League scalp in the form of Leicester when Birmingham travel to the King Power Stadium.
The central midfielder oozes composure that belies his age, while his spatial awareness in and out of possession is a joy to behold. His battle with James Maddison is set to provide a fascinating subplot.
Bellingham will be confident of inflicting misery on Leicester, who are enduring a torrid run of form – having not won in five matches in all competitions.
Birmingham teenage sensation Jude Bellingham can cause Leicester plenty of problems
WEST BROM LOOK TO SHOW PREMIER LEAGUE PEDIGREE
West Brom picked up the scalp of West Ham last time out in the FA Cup at the London Stadium, and this time round they will be eyeing up victory over another struggling Premier League side.
The Baggies host Steve Bruce’s Newcastle on Tuesday night at the Hawthorns and you wouldn’t put it past them to progress to the quarter-finals of the historic competition.
Slaven Bilic’s men are on the up once again and are sitting one point clear at the top of the Championship – six ahead of the play-off places – with Premier League promotion firmly in their sights.
Tuesday offers West Brom the perfect opportunity to show their Premier League worth once more against a side who have failed to score in five of their last six matches.
West Brom will be desperate to show they are ready for the Premier League once again
THE FA CUP… IN MIDWEEK!
The FA Cup round of 16 was moved to midweek for the first time in history to create space for the inaugural winter break, and the games have been spread across four days to accommodate the demands of broadcasters.
The news led to concerns from Premier League clubs about further fixture congestion, especially from those competing in the Champions League and Europa League.
One helping factor is that there are no replays in the fifth round so all ties will be decided on the night.
There were also fears over disruption for supporters, who would be travelling up and down the country to watch their beloved team in action.
It remains unanswered whether the midweek action will affect attendances at the FA Cup grounds, but it certainly won’t be plain sailing for the fans.
Late kick-off times mean some supporters face a difficult journey home on a work night, which could certainly limit attendance numbers.
It remains to be seen just how much the midweek action will affect the FA Cup
