Arsenal: 5 key players vs Manchester United in FA Cup

Arsenal have another doozy to move forward in the FA Cup after drawing Manchester United in their hot streak. Here are five key players to winning it.

Arsenal are bounced from the League Cup, they aren’t going to win the Premier League, but they do have a chance of snagging the FA Cup or the Europa League. Any trophy won in Emery’s first year would ideally shut up a lot of the more pessimistic bunch of fans that are already calling for Emery to be canned.

Thus, the more competitions we can stay relevant in, the better. And given that the FA Cup has been not-so-sarcastically dubbed the Arsenal Cup, there would be no greater show of continuity than by bring the FA Cup back to the Emirates.

They will have to go through Manchester United first. Manchester United, who haven’t lost since before Christmas, who are finding life with Jose to be to their liking. But then again, the competition hasn’t been all that great, and they are going to have to lose again at some point, so why not now?

With a return to the Premier League the following Tuesday against Cardiff, you wouldn’t expect too many changes to the very successful team that was sent out against Chelsea, so let’s talk about the five key guys to making this match successful.

5. Ainsley Maitland-Niles

Seeing Hector Bellerin agonizing and rolling about on the floor after not being touched, then being stretchered off, was a really tough cookie to chew. He was such a difference maker in that match and he combined so well with what Kolasinac brought to the other side that we were all looking forward to a nice, extended run.

That isn’t going to happen now. Meaning Ainsley Maitland-Niles will step back into the saddle and will be called upon to not have a drop-off in quality such that it would allow that right-hand flank to be exposed against the new, fervent United.

So much of our attacking strength comes from those fullbacks/wingbacks, so let’s hope Maitland-Niles can hit the ground running.

On to No. 4.