Now Sutton Really Face The Big Guns
- Mark Bravery
- Feb 18, 2017
- 2 min read
Sutton United are preparing for the highest profile match in their history as on Monday evening they welcome Arsenal to Gander Green Lane in the fifth round of the Emirates FA Cup (kick-off 7.55 pm).
The game will be screened live on BBC1 (coverage from 7.30 pm) and will be seen by football fans around the globe.
This is Sutton's first ever appearance in the fifth round, and this season is the first since World War Two that two non-League clubs have made it this far (the other being Lincoln City). Arsenal have won the Cup twelve times, most recently in 2015.
As in the last round, Sutton are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, and currently stand 105 places below their Premier League opponents.
Both clubs come into this match on the back of midweek defeats. On Tuesday night Sutton lost 2-1 at Guiseley in a National League fixture watched by 664 spectators. On Wednesday Arsenal lost 5-1 in the Champions League at Bayern Munich in front of 70,000.
Sutton entered this season's Cup back in October at the final qualifying round stage, and have so far overcome Forest Green Rovers, Dartford, Cheltenham Town, AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United. Arsenal entered in the third round and have beaten Preston North End 2-1 and Southampton 5-0 (both away).
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger has hinted that he will field a strong side for this game. Even if he makes sweeping changes from the eleven that started in Munich, Sutton could still face international players such as England's Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott and France's Olivier Giroud.
Sutton's squad includes four midfield players who came through Arsenal's youth system. Of those, Craig Eastmond has now served his three-match suspension and will expect to start against his old club, as will Roarie Deacon who has scored in four of the previous five rounds (and came very close to scoring against Leeds). However, fellow winger Jefffrey Monakana has a hamstring injury and is not expected to be fit, while recently-signed Jack Jebb is ineligible having appeared for Newport County in an earlier round.
Sutton manager Paul Doswell is hopeful that centre back Dean Beckwith will have recovered from his hamstring injury in time to face the Gunners, while wide man Bradley Hudson-Odoi is optimistic about his fitness following a calf strain. Striker Maxime Biamou has been receiving injections in his injured foot, but remains a doubt. More recent additions to the injury list are full backs Dan Spence (hamstring) and Kevin Amankwaah (calf). Ben Jefford and Craig Dundas are both cup-tied.
Sutton's back line should include skipper Jamie Collins and the dependable Simon Downer, with Louis John available should Beckwith not quite make it. Nicky Bailey, normally a holding midfielder, can fill in at full back if required. Bedsente Gomis, Adam May and Baboye Traore are all midfield options. Matt Tubbs or Dan Fitchett could start up front, with Pape Gueye able to add height to the attack should Biamou be sidelined.
This match is all-ticket and sold out. In the event of the match being drawn, there would be a replay at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, probably in the week beginning 27 February.