Preston North End vs Arsenal. The FA Cup Third Round.
Deepdale.
Saturday 7 January 2017 16:43, UK
Danny Welbeck could return for Arsenal as they travel to Preston in the FA Cup on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm), while David Ospina will take his place in goal.
Striker Welbeck has been sidelined since the end of last season with a knee injury, although Arsene Wenger was coy on the potential for a starting place.
"I haven't decided yet, but he could be - it depends on Lucas (Perez) a little bit, it also depends on how he feels," the manager said.
"Physically his fitness is at quite a good level, but of course the ideal way is to give him two or three games with the under-23s. But the situation is not always ideal, sometimes you have to hurry up."
Preston boss Simon Grayson has a full squad to pick from apart from Calum Woods (knee) and John Welsh (calf).
The Lilywhites sit 11th in the Championship, 12 points clear of the relegation zone, but Grayson could still shuffle his pack with the likes of Paul Gallagher and Aiden McGeady potentially coming back into contention.
Aside from Welbeck's potential return, Arsenal will be without Francis Coquelin for the trip after the midfielder was forced off in the 3-3 draw at Bournemouth with a hamstring issue and could be out for up to a month.
Ospina will deputise for Petr Cech in goal, but Mesut Ozil (illness), Theo Walcott (calf) and Lucas (ankle) are all doubts, with Santi Cazorla (Achilles), Mohamed Elneny (international duty), Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs (both knee) definitely missing.
This will be the first FA Cup meeting between the sides since January 1999, when Arsenal triumphed 4-2 at Deepdale in the third round.
In three previous FA Cup meetings at Deepdale, there have been 15 goals between these sides (seven for Preston, eight for Arsenal) at an average of five per game.
The Lilywhites have won one of their last 15 FA Cup games against top-flight opposition, their solitary win a 4-1 away hammering of Derby in January 2008.
Preston manager Grayson has met Arsenal three times previously in the FA Cup, all while Leeds boss (D1 L2).
The Gunners have a near imperious recent record against lower-league opposition in the FA Cup, losing just one of their last 36 ties, a 1-0 home defeat to Blackburn in February 2013.
Alexis Sanchez has scored five goals and assisted four in nine FA Cup outings for Arsenal, with each goal he has been involved in coming at the Emirates or Wembley Stadium.
Arsenal were useless against Bournemouth the other night. I took no pleasure in them coming from three behind and I'm starting to get confused by them again.
Alexis Sanchez is throwing tantrums because he was doing brilliantly before Olivier Giroud came in. Yes, Giroud is scoring goals but what else does he do? Sanchez was doing that and far more.
Saying that, Sanchez is a top-class player but he's got no divine right to just stand out wide and expect everybody to pass to him. I don't know what is going on with him - I think he needs telling and if he doesn't change he needs selling. This team has helped make him a star and he needs to show some appreciation rather than throwing tantrums.
I'd expect Theo Walcott to come back in for Sanchez but I wouldn't think Arsene Wenger will make wholesale changes. Arsenal need to go for the FA Cup as there might not be anything left for them.
Charlie Nicholas predicts: 1-3 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
