Pellegrini ready to spurn FA Cup chance

They jury’s out, but it’s only for the top four.

Arsenal, bidding to become the first club since Blackburn Rovers in the 19th century to win the FA Cup three years in a row, face Hull City on Saturday – just three days before Spanish giants Barcelona arrive at the Emirates Stadium for a Champions League clash.

The amount of money paid by the BBC and BT Sport for the rights to FA Cup games means they must be given licence to maximise viewing figures, but there is a feeling among some of the game’s leading figures that the spread of matches is becoming a little thin.

Senior advisor to Manchester City Esteve Calzada believes Pep Guardiola’s arrival at Man City next season will bring plenty of changes.

Reports this week have cast doubt on the future of the FA Cup in its current form.

“There’s only five rounds of it, and if they want to avoid replays then they should put their strongest team out and win it the first time, rather than compromise and moan about it”. Attendances at this weekend’s ties are sure to be scrutinised as the Football Association mulls over the future of its flagship competition.

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Chuba Akpom and Isaac Hayden can not play as they are on loan from Arsenal but Eldin Jakupovic, Harry Maguire, Ahmed Elmohamady, David Meyler and Adama Diomande are expected to come into the side that moved two points clear at the top of the Championship with a midweek draw against Brighton.

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And it’s those players that would suffer were the FA Cup to take a staggering change in direction.

“What I would do is seed the third round of the FA Cup”, Merson said on The Fantasy Football Club Podcast. The pair met in the final in 2014, with Arsenal coming from two down to win in extra-time. The work-rate of the Foxes’ players was phenomenal, despite only having 34% possession their closing down on the City players in the final third was incredibly intense.

Louis van Gaal’s side have already beaten Sheffield United and Derby County in the FA Cup this year.

However, the winners of both the Champions League and Europa League are guaranteed places in Uefa’s elite tournament for the following season, which could spell danger for the Premier League’s fourth-placed finisher. The Toffees have lost six times at home in the league so it is good news for them that they are away at AFC Bournemouth.