The next 48 hours will decide whether a bland football season still has a kick in it. By tomorrow afternoon Arsenal may be assured of their 13th FA Cup final. By Monday night, Highbury may be cherishing thoughts of a second League and Cup Double. All depends on events at Villa Park tomorrow lunch time, when Arsenal meet Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup semi-finals, and Ewood Park on Monday evening, when Manchester United face Blackburn Rovers in the Premiership.
Arsenal's 1-0 win at Bolton on Tuesday moved them to within three points of United at the top of the Premiership with two matches in hand. Defeat for Alex Ferguson's team at Blackburn would put Old Trafford's fifth championship in six seasons in serious doubt.
With Liverpool visiting Old Trafford on Good Friday, Arsenal will have played four fewer matches than Manchester United by the time they resume their quest for the title at home to Newcastle this day week. By then Wembley could be looking forward to a third FA Cup final between Arsenal and Newcastle, who meet Sheffield United at Old Trafford in the other semi-final.
Still, a mounting backlog of matches could prove Arsenal's undoing. If they beat Wolves tomorrow, Arsene Wenger's players will play eight games in four weeks before they can think about the Cup final.
The enduring solidity of Arsenal's defence should frustrate Wolves tomorrow. Even without Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright and possibly Marc Overmars, Wenger should reach his first Wembley final.
For the FA Cup, Wolves' quarterfinal victory at Elland Road was a delayed shock long overdue. A win for Sheffield United tomorrow would be less of a surprise than Wolves knocking out Arsenal, but it would still provide the sort of fillip the competition has largely lacked this season.
Given the backstage disturbances at Bramall Lane, Steve Thompson, the man left holding the baby, would be the unlikeliest manager to lead out a team at Wembley since Brighton took the field behind Jimmy Melia's spotted bow-tie and dancing shoes in 1983. He would also be one of the most popular. Everyone loves an underdog.
Talking of dogs, it is 24 years since Newcastle last appeared in an FA Cup final and rarely have the clouds above St James's Park been in such need of a silver lining. Tomorrow Alan Shearer can make Kenny Dalglish's day. But does he feel lucky? Does anyone at Newcastle feel lucky?
