SOCCER FA CUP:Arsenal v Cardiff City, Emirates Stadium, Tonight, 7.45pm on Setanta Sports 1
BACARY SAGNA maintains Arsenal are ready for the fight as they continue the quest for English FA Cup glory against Cardiff at Emirates Stadium tonight.
The Gunners are effectively a tie behind following the postponement of their fourth-round replay, which had to be re-arranged because of the snow which crippled London’s transport network at the start of February.
After weathering something of a first-half storm at Ninian Park, Arsenal should have already been safely through to the last 16 but striker Emmanuel Adebayor - now sidelined for around three weeks with a hamstring problem - missed a gilt-edged chance and so the Coca-Cola Championship club lived to fight another day.
In excess of 9,000 Cardiff fans are expected to make their way to Emirates Stadium tomorrow night, perhaps travelling more in hope of an upset than in expectation.
Nevertheless, full-back Sagna - who has been a consistent performer since arriving in a £6 million transfer during July 2007 - knows it will be no easy ride.
“We can feel it as soon as we run out on the pitch, from the fans, it is the oldest cup competition in the world. In England it is very important for the teams,” he said.
“I won the French Cup with Auxerre and I know how great an achievement that is. Every game was a fight, a war on the pitch.” Given the important Barclays Premier League and European fixtures coming up, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is expected to make a few changes for the visit of the Championship play-off hopefuls.
However, with Emmanuel Eboue suspended after his red card at Tottenham last weekend and Aaron Ramsey an injury doubt to face his former club, Arsenal’s midfield options are somewhat thin on the ground.
New signing Andrei Arshavin is ineligible having only signed from Zenit St Petersburg on deadline day, but striker Eduardo, fit again following nearly a year out with a broken leg, could feature after playing for Croatia in midweek.
Defender Gael Clichy has recovered from the head injury suffered in an accidental clash with Darren Bent at White Hart Lane.
“It will be a big game, they will come and have a go at us like they did in the first game,” said the France left-back. “We have to be focused and try to win because we want to go through.”
One player who has managed to steer clear of serious injury this season has been Robin van Persie.
The Dutch forward is Arsenal’s leading scorer with 13 goals, and was named captain for the English FA Cup third-round tie against Plymouth.
