Arsenal could go a long way to doing those that have backed them to win the quadruple a power of good in putting the first part in place this Sunday in Wembley’s first showpiece final of the year.
This isn’t as easy as it sounds though. Birmingham are a fairly formidable side and with captain Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott already ruled out it might be quite a task for Arsene Wenger to win his first trophy since Fabregas was a mere glint in Wenger’s eyes.
On paper the London club should register an easy victory and stop the rot in terms of trophies. The lower placed opponents do have 6’7½” Serbian beef up front in the shape of Nikola Zigic. The player, who has a physique that Peter Crouch can only dream of, is likely to cause a defence containing Sebastien Squillaci a fair amount of problems.
If they do lose the final, it could arguably be the least damaging thing to happen to them over the weekend though.
Man Utd face a trip to another of their happy hunting grounds, Wigan, in a game that may send them four points clear of the Gunners. In 12 games all time Man Utd have won all of them and Wigan have scored a combined four goals over the 12 meetings – not what Mr Wenger wants to hear.
Last season’s encounter finished 5-0 to the reds and you wouldn’t put a convincing win past the former Champions.
