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Fearless Sutton United must show Gunners next to no respect

Who said the FA Cup has lost its romance? On Tuesday morning, Singapore time, part-timers Sutton United will tackle the giants of Arsenal in a bid to become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals.

Non-League minnows Sutton United must make life difficult for English Premier League giants Arsenal every step of the way during their FA Cup match. Photo: Reuters

Non-League minnows Sutton United must make life difficult for English Premier League giants Arsenal every step of the way during their FA Cup match. Photo: Reuters

Who said the FA Cup has lost its romance? On Tuesday morning, Singapore time, part-timers Sutton United will tackle the giants of Arsenal in a bid to become the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the quarter-finals.

TODAY football analyst Adrian Clarke (sports [at] mediacorp.com.sg) played for the Gunners and spent several seasons as a semi-pro in English football’s fifth tier. He provides some insights on how the two sides will be feeling …

NO STAR GAZING FOR SUTTON

It may be the chance of a lifetime, but part-timers can be beaten in the build-up to this kind of occasion; or even in the tunnel, the moment they catch sight of famous faces across the passageway.

Sutton’s have-a-go-heroes will have acted chipper to friends and family all week, but on the inside, their minds will be whizzing. What if we lose 10-0? If I have a stinker in front of the millions of TV viewers, how bad will that be? Am I quick enough? Will I get exposed? What if I miss a sitter? Please do not do anything silly.

It is human nature to have the odd moment of self-doubt, but once the players arrive at the ground, those negative thoughts must be blanked out. David never conquered Goliath by worrying about what might go wrong.

I played for Stevenage in the early 2000s, just a couple of years after they had taken a star-studded Newcastle United to a replay.

Manager Paul Fairclough later told me how he had arranged one-on-one chats between the lads and a sports psychologist in the build-up. His aim was to make the players relax and enjoy the moment, to imagine the glory of winning, and to lessen concerns they had about being blown away. And it did the trick. They performed fearlessly.

I do not know whether Sutton United have tried something similar, but the key to doing themselves justice is to relish their moment in the sun, and show Arsenal next to no respect.

MAKING ARSENAL ROUGH IT

If they are smart, the minnows will not roll out the red carpet. My advice would be to keep their old ground as unwelcoming as they possibly can.

I go in the home changing room at Emirates Stadium most weeks and it is an idyllic environment.

Each player has a padded seat and plenty of room to hang their clothes. There is a gym/warm-up area, a massive tactics board, under-floor heating, huge showers, a hydrotherapy pool, a selection of toilets and enough physio beds for six players to have a pre-match massage at once.

At Sutton they will get changed on skinny wooden benches with one clothes peg each (if they are lucky), there will be one massage table, one toilet (with limited paper), poor heating, a grotty communal bath and lukewarm showers that dribble the water out.

Modern superstars just do not experience facilities like it. They will not be happy! Crammed in like sardines, there will be moans and groans in the away dressing room before kick off from certain individuals.

If Arsenal let the surroundings get to them, Sutton have a chance.

DICTATING THE STYLE

Playing on a pristine 3G surface, the National League minnows have sacrificed the advantage of a horrible muddy pitch, so they must level things up in a different way.

I have been involved in FA Cup ties as an underdog, and the instructions were always along similar lines: Chase every lost cause. Rough them up. Do not give them time on the ball. Keep your shape. Block everything. No one runs in behind you. Kill time at every opportunity. It is basic stuff, but that is what you need to do.

Sutton will also play the percentages. Hitting long balls into the channels for their forwards to chase, they will target corners, throw ins and free kicks. From there, all it takes is one Gunners mistake and they could be in business.

It will also be in Sutton’s interests to make this a stop-start affair that is punctuated by interruptions, in order to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm.

If they cannot make it that kind of scrappy encounter, Arsenal’s superior fitness will come into play.

THE GUNNERS MUST GET THEIR HEADS STRAIGHT

It looks an easy draw on paper, but Arsenal’s players will see this as a no-win situation. Go through, and everyone says, so what? End up on the wrong end of a famous giant killing, and reputations can be ruined.

This is the last match Arsene Wenger’s men would choose to play right now. The key to avoiding a banana skin is for them to get their heads straight and not act too big for their boots. It will be physical, it will be awkward, and it will serve up an unusual type of pressure. However, providing they are willing to roll up their sleeves and embrace the challenge, everything should work out just fine.

Liberties cannot be taken. Many part-time players have serious talent.

Providing they show the necessary grit, Arsenal’s class should help them avoid an unwanted slip-up.

PREDICTION: SUTTON UNITED 0 ARSENAL 4

As much as Sutton’s players would love to test themselves against Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, the sight of a severely weakened Arsenal team sheet would lift them more. It will be taken as a sign of over-confidence, and manager Paul Doswell will use that to motivate his players. Wenger has to get the balance of his selection spot on.

This is a tricky test, but with minds refocused by that Bayern Munich mauling, I just do not envisage this particular fairytale coming true. The Gunners have too much to lose for them to mess up.

 

BIG MATCH PREDICTIONS

Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester City 1

With a clash against Monaco on the horizon, Pep Guardiola’s mind may be elsewhere for their trip to the in-form Terriers. Managed by Jurgen Klopp’s best buddy David Wagner, Huddersfield are flying high in the Championship, producing an exciting brand of football. Strikers Nakhi Wells and Elias Kachunga are the danger men. I see a possible upset.

Wolves 0 Chelsea 3

Lightning is unlikely to strike twice for Paul Lambert’s side, who so expertly slayed Liverpool at Anfield last month. Chelsea’s boss will have studied the videos, and will pick a strong XI for the trip to Molineux. The Blues are so solid right now, and eager to become regulars, I’m tipping Cesc Fabregas and Willian to shine.

Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester United 2

This shouldn’t be an overly taxing test for a Manchester United side that’s going through the gears as we head towards the business end. They are the holders, and I sense they will dominate possession against a hard working but limited Blackburn outfit that’s lacked a cutting edge all season. Backed by a vociferous away support at Ewood Park, they’ll negotiate a route to the quarters.

 

FA CUP 5th ROUND

SATURDAY

Burnley v Lincoln City (Singtel TV Ch 109, 8.20pm)

Huddersfield v Manchester City (Singtel TV Ch 109, 10.50pm)

Millwall v Leicester City (Singtel TV Ch 110, 10.50pm)

SUNDAY

Wolves v Chelsea (Singtel TV Ch 109, 1.20am)

Fulham v Tottenham (Singtel TV Ch 109, 9.50pm)

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