Team news to follow later.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
LIVERPOOL begin their defence of the FA Cup against Arsenal, in front of live BBC television Match of the Day cameras in a teatime encounter at Anfield, which could turn out to be a classic. Both clubs are seemingly out of the running for the Premiership title and chasing consolation Champions League spots at third and fourth in the table. Their best chance of domestic silverware will therefore lie in the two Cup competitions. Should one or other get knocked out here, the pair meet again on the same ground on Tuesday in the rearranged League Cup quarter-final.
The Merseysiders are one point superior to the Gunners in the League, but will want to complete the job here, as they were thrashed 0-3 at the Emirates Stadium in November. Rafael Benitez' side have lost their last two clashes with the Gunners in north London, but won the last two on home turf.
Arsene Wenger's men prevailed in their most recent FA Cup meeting (1-0 in the fourth round at Highbury on 27 January 2002). Prior to that, the Merseysiders turned the tables in no uncertain terms in the first final to be staged at the Millennium Stadium in 2001. They were trailing 1-0 and seemingly down and out, when two goals in the last seven minutes from Michael Owen ensured the Cup headed north to Merseyside.
ARSENAL and Liverpool have won the oldest, and arguably the greatest knock-out competition in world club football on 17 occasions (10 for Arsenal, seven for Liverpool). The last two were the first to be decided on penalties. Arsenal beat Manchester United 5-4 on spot kicks after a goalless 120 minutes in 2005. West Ham were just seconds away from lifting the trophy in May, when Steven Gerrard fired home a first-time drive from 35 yards to take the match into extra time, at 3-3. A massively exciting final was decided in favour of the Reds by three spot kicks to one in the shoot-out.
The Gunners travel north on a run of five wins in eight games, including Tuesday's 4-0 crushing of Charlton, when Thierry Henry made a surprise return and opened the scoring with a 30th minute penalty.
An Arsenal player has lifted the FA Cup in three of the last five years, and on four occasions in the tenure of Wenger. They've reached the final in four of their last six attempts, and the semi-final on one of the other two occasions. Last season the Gunners were knocked out by Bolton in the fourth round. They will not want to fall even earlier this time around, or become the 15th club in 17 League and Cup matches this season to lose at Anfield. They would be delighted if they could be the first to win on the Reds' hallowed turf since Benfica in the Champions League on 8 March last year.
FA Cup Match Preview stats http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...up/6225115.stm
Arsenal will be without suspended pair Robin Van Persie and Cesc Fabregas for this weekend's FA Cup tie at Anfield.
Both players have collected five yellow cards this season and so will be unavailable for selection by manager Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners boss, though, has been boosted by the return to fitness of full back Emmanuel Eboue who has recovered from an ankle injury.
"The news is quite good at the moment," Wenger said. "We have no new injuries from the Charlton game and we have Eboue available for Saturday.
"Julio Baptista might come back too and William Gallas is very close.
The news of Theo Walcott's back is very good. He and William Gallas are possibles for the Carling Cup on Tuesday."
Craig Bellamy has been declared fit to return to the Liverpool side to face Arsenal at Anfield tomorrow.
The Welsh striker missed Monday's victory over Bolton with a minor hamstring problem, but he's back in full training now and is available for selection against the Gunners.
"It's good to have Craig back because he has been playing well and he gives us a different option in attack," said manager Rafael Benitez.
"We don't have any new injury problems ahead of the game. The good news is that Bolo Zenden and Momo Sissoko are both doing well in their rehab work and have joined in training. Bolo is probably one or two weeks away and Momo a bit longer. It'll be nice to have them back again."
)
Comment