FA Cup Sixth round
Venue: Old Trafford Date: Saturday, 12 March Kick-off: 1715 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio, Live on ITV1
TEAM NEWS
Man Utd are without Nani who suffered a gashed leg at Liverpool, but captain Nemanja Vidic returns from suspension.
Rio Ferdinand (calf) and Park Ji-sung (hamstring) will not be risked and Antonio Valencia is not yet match fit. Cesc Fabregas misses out for Arsenal after aggravating his hamstring injury in Tuesday's defeat against Barcelona.
Robin van Persie is set to skipper the side after returning against Barcelona but Wojciech Szczesny, Theo Walcott, Alex Song and Thomas Vermaelen are out.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
The tie in context• These are the two most successful clubs in FA Cup history, who have lifted the trophy 21 times between them.
• Two weeks ago Arsenal were still competing in all four competitions. Defeat to Manchester United would see their interest reduced to just the Premier League.
• The Gunners are hoping to book a second visit to Wembley in seven weeks.
Gulf in class
• Manchester United top the Premier League table by three points from Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
Head-to-head
• These clubs are meeting for the 212th time competitively, and Manchester United hold a nine wins lead over the Gunners in the head-to-head standings. • The Red Devils are unbeaten in six league and cup matches against Arsenal, and are looking for a fourth consecutive victory over them.
• They have met once so far this season, and only one goal figured in the top-flight clash at Old Trafford.
Man Utd 1-0 Arsenal (Prem Lge, 13 Dec)
• Honours are even in the FA Cup, with both sides successful on six occasions. Manchester United enjoyed an emphatic 4-0 triumph most recently.
FA Cup records and best performances
• Arsenal have been unable to score in any of their last three FA Cup meetings with United.
The clubs
MANCHESTER UNITEDCurrent form
• Lost the last two, away to Chelsea and Liverpool.
• Won their last eight at home, and not lost in 20 league and Cup matches at Old Trafford since the start of the season.
• On a 23-game undefeated sequence at the Theatre of Dreams, since Chelsea's 2-1 win in the Premier League on 3 April last year.
FA Cup form
• Last won the competition for a record 11th time in 2004, beating Millwall in the final.
• Since then they have been losing finalists twice.
• Bidding for a record 27th appearance in the semi-finals.
• Won all three ties in this current run by single goal margins, including the fifth round home clash with non-league Crawley (1-0).
• Already disposed of Premier League opposition in Liverpool in the third round.
• Everton were the last top-flight club to halt their progress, in the semi-finals two years ago.
ARSENAL
Current form
• Coming off Tuesday's 3-1 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.
• Won one of the last four in league and cup.
• Lost the last two away from the Emirates Stadium, and not won in four.
FA Cup form
• Manchester United are providing Premier League opposition for the first time in this Cup run.
• Since winning the competition for the 10th time in 2005, Arsenal have only reached the semi-finals once in the season before last.
• Like Manchester United, they are bidding for a record 27th appearance in the last four.
• Defeat would see them ousted by Premier League clubs for the sixth season in a row, since beating Manchester United on penalties in the 2005 final.
• Nicklas Bendtner is their top scorer in the competition this season, courtesy of his hat-trick over Leyton Orient in the fifth round replay.
Replay date
TBA Match officials
Referee: Chris Foy (Merseyside) Assistant referees: Adam Watts and John Flynn
Fourth official: Mark Halsey
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/9421189.stm
Meanwhile, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has called Jamie Carragher's tackle on Nani during last week's 3-1 defeat at Liverpool "disgraceful".
The United winger will miss up to three weeks after requiring stitches to repair the leg wound inflicted by Carragher's first-half challenge. "It was a disgraceful tackle, we know that, but you move on," said Ferguson.
"It is difficult to say exactly when he will be ready to return but we won't get him back for Bolton next Saturday."
He is definitely out of Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal, as well as Tuesday's match with Marseille.
"We've managed to stitch it, which is great news. What we're guarding against, of course, is infection," Ferguson added.
"The swelling has gone down a great deal, which is good news - but to give you a date for when he is coming back is very difficult to say.
"On the plus side, we've got a two-week international break from next Saturday, so he'll be ready for the return after that obviously, that's for sure."
The 24-year-old Nani, who moved to United in June 2007 from Sporting Lisbon, was felled just before half-time in their Premier League match against Liverpool on 6 March which prompted an ugly clash between both sets of players.
Many observers felt Carragher's challenge warranted a straight red card rather than the yellow received from referee Phil Dowd. Former England defender Carragher made a personal apology to Nani immediately after the game.
The Portuguese winger injured his groin in November and also missed last summer's World Cup after picking up an injury to his collarbone shortly before the start of the tournament in South Africa.
With crucial games coming up for Ferguson's team, Nani's absence is another big blow with 10 first-team members likely to be unavailable for Saturday's match with the Gunners in the FA Cup at Old Trafford.
And with a growing injury list and a Football Association charge of improper conduct hanging over him for comments made after the Chelsea loss, it has been a testing period for the United manager.
When asked on Friday if he sympathised with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who is unhappy with a a Uefa charge for improper conduct during Tuesday's Barcelona game, Ferguson turned the question on himself.
"I have sympathy for myself. I didn't have an easy week myself," he said, five days after imposing a media blackout following the Liverpool defeat.
However, with the campaign approaching an exciting climax, the 69-year-old Scot added: "You have to look forward. We have big opportunities at the club and there are a lot of challenges ahead for the rest of the season.
"It is terrific to be involved in the middle of March. Every game you play is of importance. We have Tuesday's game against Marseille and Bolton in a league game next weekend. It goes on and on.
"That is why you get to March and hope you are involved in all these things. We are."
Ferguson also revealed centre-half Rio Ferdinand (calf) and South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung (hamstring) needed more time in the treatment room.
There was better news, though, as their Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia is closing in on a return after breaking his ankle in the Champions League clash at home to Rangers last September.
"Antonio is difficult to assess because he has been out for such a long time," said Ferguson.
"He has been training very well and is taking part in a few practice matches between the players. It is deciding when we can put him into the cut and thrust of a game. It won't be Saturday. Hopefully it will be quite soon."
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