Played
February 16, 2013 10:00 AM EST
Emirates Stadium — London
Referee: M. Dean
Attendance: 60070
February 16, 2013 10:00 AM EST
Emirates Stadium — London
Referee: M. Dean
Attendance: 60070
FA Cup Preview: Arsenal - Blackburn
With Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny ruled out and Wenger rotating ahead of the clash with Bayern Munich, the Championship outfit will hope to cause an FA Cup upset.
By Sam Wells
| PROBABLE LINEUPS |
|
ARSENAL
 Szczesny Sagna, Mertesacker, Miquel, Monreal Arteta, Diaby Gervinho, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain Podolski |
BLACKBURN ROVERS
 Kean Orr, Dann, Hanley, Olsson Pedersen, Murphy, Lowe, Olsson Kazim-Richards, Rhodes |
Arsene Wenger looks set to rotate his squad from the team that overcame Sunderland in a 1-0 win last Saturday, as he appears intent upon resting some of his key players ahead of their Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
Ignasi Miquel, having come on as a late substitute in the win against the Black Cats, looks set to deputize at center back, as Thomas Vermaelen (ankle) and Laurent Koscielny (calf) continue to struggle with injury.
There are further repercussions from their exertions against Sunderland as Jack Wilshere's dead leg in that tie rules him out of this FA Cup clash. Carl Jenkinson is also ruled out with suspension after his red card in the same game.
Theo Walcott, Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Oliver Giroud are also likely to be rested from the team that started the Sunderland game, with Abou Diaby, Gervinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tomas Rosicky and Lukas Podolski coming in, as their manager clearly has one eye on their Champions League game in midweek.
Blackburn, meanwhile, will look to play a full-strength side as manager Michael Appleton appears ready to keep faith in the team that earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Brighton last Saturday.
The one change that is likely to be made, however, comes in the form of the experienced Morten Gamst-Pedersen replacing DJ Campbell, with Colin Kazim-Richards assuming a role alongside the free-scoring Jordan Rhodes upfront.
Jake Kean, meanwhile, looks set to keep his place in goal as former England international Paul Robinson remains out-of-favor with new boss Appleton.
| DID YOU KNOW? |
Arsenal and Blackburn's recent encounters have been full of goals; their two encounters last season contained 15 goals.
- The last of those two games, with the Gunners at home, saw Arsenal romp to a 7-1 win, with Robin van Persie bagging a hat trick.
- Wenger's side has also been impressive at home of late, having lost only one of the past seven games at the Emirates Stadium.
- Theo Walcott, though unlikely to start here, has been in blistering form this season and has already equaled his highest amount of assists in a Premier League season - eight (the same as 2011-12).
- Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes (pictured right) is also in scintillating form, having scored seven goals in his last seven games for Rovers.
- It has also been extremely tight at the back of late, having conceded only two goals in its last five games.
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Arsenal 3-0 Blackburn
- 19.56 %
-
Arsenal 2-0 Blackburn
- 15.23 %
-
Arsenal 3-1 Blackburn
- 12.97 %
| FA Cup (FA) | Feb 16, 2013 | Arsenal 0 - Blackburn 1 |
|
| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Feb 4, 2012 | Arsenal 7 - Blackburn 1 |
|
| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Sep 17, 2011 | Blackburn 4 - Arsenal 3 |
|
| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Apr 2, 2011 | Arsenal 0 - Blackburn 0 |
|
| English Premier League (EPL) (EPL) | Aug 28, 2010 | Blackburn 1 - Arsenal 2 |
|
Arsenal
   |
||
| May 14, 2013 | Arsenal 4 - Wigan Athletic 1 | EPL |
| May 4, 2013 | QPR 0 - Arsenal 1 | EPL |
| Apr 28, 2013 | Arsenal 1 - Manchester United 1 | EPL |
| Apr 20, 2013 | Fulham 0 - Arsenal 1 | EPL |
| Apr 16, 2013 | Arsenal 0 - Everton 0 | EPL |
Blackburn
  |
||
| May 4, 2013 | Birmingham 1 - Blackburn 1 | ENG2 |
| Apr 27, 2013 | Blackburn 1 - Crystal Palace 1 | ENG2 |
| Apr 23, 2013 | Millwall 1 - Blackburn 2 | ENG2 |
| Apr 20, 2013 | Watford 4 - Blackburn 0 | ENG2 |
| Apr 16, 2013 | Blackburn 1 - Huddersfield Town 0 | ENG2 |
| 13 | Wojciech Szczesny | Goalkeeper |
| 6 | Laurent Koscielny | Defender |
| 17 | Monreal | Defender |
| 5 | Thomas Vermaelen | Defender |
| 2 | A. Diaby | Midfielder |
| 8 | Mikel Arteta | Midfielder |
| 35 | Francis Coquelin | Midfielder |
| 7 | Tomas Rosicky | Midfielder |
| 15 | Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain | Striker |
| 12 | Olivier Giroud | Striker |
| 27 | Gervinho | Striker |
| 24 | Vito Mannone | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Bacary Sagna | Defender |
| 16 | Aaron Ramsey | Midfielder |
| 19 | Santi Cazorla | Midfielder |
| 10 | Jack Wilshere | Midfielder |
| 9 | Lukas Podolski | Striker |
| 14 | Theo Walcott | Striker |
| 34 | Jake Kean | Goalkeeper |
| 2 | Bradley Orr | Defender |
| 31 | Grant Hanley | Defender |
| 3 | Martin Olsson | Defender |
| 16 | Scott Dann | Defender |
| 35 | Jason Lowe | Defender |
| 14 | Lee Williamson | Midfielder |
| 12 | Morten-Gamst Pedersen | Midfielder |
| - | Marcus Olsson | Midfielder |
| - | Kazım Kazım | Midfielder |
| - | Jordan Rhodes | Striker |
| - | Sebastian Usai | Goalkeeper |
| 5 | Gaël Givet | Defender |
| 44 | Karim Rekik | Defender |
| 11 | David Bentley | Midfielder |
| - | Fabio | Midfielder |
| 25 | David Goodwillie | Striker |
| 21 | Nuno Gomes | Striker |
Results
Times In EST
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Danny Hylton Striker Aldershot |
8 | 0 |
|
Carlos Tévez Striker Man City |
5 | 0 |
|
|
Scott Rendell Striker Luton Town |
4 | 1 |
|
Marvin Sordell Striker Bolton Wanderers |
4 | 1 |
|
Demba Ba Striker Chelsea |
4 | 0 |
