Arsenal aims for three-peat

by

January 09, 2016

Photo

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger grasps the English FA Cup during their bus top victory parade through the streets of London, Sunday, May 31, 2015. Arsenal won a record 12th FA Cup title with a dominant 4-0 victory over Aston Villa in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Arsenal is bidding to become the first team since Blackburn in 1884-86 to win the FA Cup in three straight years and to extend its record-setting haul of FA Cup titles to 13.

With his team having its best chance in years to win the Premier League, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger must decide whether to rotate his squad. Wenger said Thursday that Alexis Sanchez is not yet ready to return from a hamstring injury, but midfielder Mikel Arteta is available.

Manchester United stemmed the crisis swirling around its manager, Louis van Gaal, by beating Swansea last weekend to end a winless run of eight games but losing to third-tier club Sheffield United would put the Dutchman under fresh scrutiny.

Sheffield United has been a cup specialist in recent years, reaching the League Cup semifinals last season and the FA Cup semi-finals in 2014.

The potential for so-called "giant killings" in the third round isn't as big as in many previous years.

Everton will be wary when it hosts fourth-tier club Dagenham and Redbridge as will Stoke on its trip to third-tier club Doncaster and Aston Villa when it visits fourth-tier team Wycombe.

Villa is facing relegation after winning only once in 20 Premier League games this season, so the FA Cup will come as a respite.