When the Football Association urged clubs to field their strongest teams in the FA Cup this week, there was one tie the governing body would not have been worrying about.
Arsenal and Chelsea have been drawn to meet at Highbury for a quarterfinal place and it can be taken as read that neither will be putting out a reserve side.
The FA called on managers ‘to respect the values†of the FA Cup after Bolton and Wolverhampton Wanderers were knocked out with understrength teams.
Manchester United omitted several regulars at Northampton, though Sir Alex Ferguson’s starting XI was hardly unrecognisable and was designed to win the tie.
The FA said it would ‘monitor†the situation, but a hint that it might consider disciplinary action in future was a gentle reminder rather than a sign that clubs are about to be fined or expelled from the competition.
An unwanted exit does, though, await Chelsea or Arsenal. Chelsea have not beaten their London rivals in 14 attempts since 1998 and have lost to Arsène Wenger’s side in the Cup in each of the past three seasons.
Knocked out by Arsenal in the fifth round in 2001, beaten by them in the final the following year and defeated in last season’s sixth round after a replay, Chelsea have a chance for revenge, which they could have done without.
‘It would’ve been nice to avoid them until later in the competition,†said John Terry, though he emphasised there was no defeatism by adding: ‘It doesn’t really matter who we play.â€
Their game is the round’s outstanding tie, though it will have competition from a Manchester derby at Old Trafford if City win a replay at Tottenham Hotspur.
Another all-Premiership match sees Liverpool meet Portsmouth in a re-run of the 1992 semifinal.
Three clubs from outside the top flight are guaranteed a quarterfinal place and at least one will be from outside the First Division because Second Division Tranmere play Third Division Swansea City.
Sheffield United, who reached last season’s semi-final, face Coventry City or Colchester. Non-league Telford will play Burnley if they can overcome Millwall.
The meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea comes the weekend before the clubs play each other in the Premiership at Stamford Bridge, making it a week of huge significance for both clubs.
Chelsea will be chasing not just their first win over Arsenal in 11 under Claudio Ranieri, but hoping to edge towards their first silverware under the Italian. Arsenal, unbeaten in 16 FA Cup ties, want to become the first club since Blackburn in the 1880s to lift the trophy three years in a row.
Arsenal’s local rivals Tottenham will be favourites to earn a trip to Old Trafford — where they have suffered nine straight defeats — after drawing at Manchester City. They knocked Kevin Keegan’s team out of the Carling Cup at White Hart Lane.
Swansea were hardly delighted with their reward for beating First Division Preston. ‘With all respect to Tranmere you’ve got to feel a bit disappointed,†said Lee Trundle, Saturday’s matchwinner. ‘At this stage of the competition you would expect to draw a Premiership side.â€
That challenge awaits Sunderland, who host Birmingham City. Fulham will meet West Ham in a re-run of the 1975 final if they win a replay at home to Everton.
The FA will be looking carefully at all the sides. ‘It has not gone unnoticed that some clubs have not fielded anything like their strongest teams this season,†said the director of communications, Colin Gibson.
‘While it’s only a few teams, I would like to emphasise just how important it is for managers to respect the values of the FA Cup and the importance supporters place in it.
‘Clubs and managers should also remember that it is the paying public — their fans — who suffer most when they field a weakened team, which is clearly unacceptable.
‘We will not be taking any disciplinary action on this occasion, but in future we will be monitoring this area of the game very closely.†—