Match Preview: Arsenal vs. Tottenham (F.A. Cup)

Saturday night at the Emirates will see the two North London rivals renew their acquaintances. This will be in the F.A. Cup, which throws a curveball at both managers trying to find balance between keeping players fresh during a painfully busy holiday schedule, and trying a squash their most hated rival.

Arsenal play Aston Villa on Monday, and with much of his squad injured Arsene Wenger will not have much choice  in picking a squad. While Wenger enjoys putting his young starlets in in cup ties, like Serge Gnabry, a game versus Spurs is one you always go for the win in.

While Olivier Giroud seems to have gotten over the ankle problem which kept him from the victory over Cardiff on New Year’s Day, Wenger has admitted the striker is sick and will most likely be rested for the Villa match. Mesut Ozil has also recovered nicely from a shoulder injury, although odds are he will also be kept on the bench.

While Arsenal have been superb in the Barclays Premier League this season, their eight-year trophy drought still hangs over the club’s head, meaning the F.A. Cup should be taken with upmost seriousness. Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood will attempt to be the first Spurs manager to beat Arsenal in his first try in twenty years, so he will be rolling out a lineup chalk full of first-team stars.

It is up to Wenger to make the decisions to create a very contested game while keeping his eye on Monday. Keep on a eye on the match lineups as well as the substitutes for Arsenal, because this should make for a intriguing and hostile match.