FA CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW: Arsene Wenger looks certain to rest first-choice players when Arsenal meet Chelsea at Highbury in the pick of the FA Cup quarter-finals after saying yesterday that his priorities lie in the Premiership and Champions League.
Wenger is keen to retain the Cup, which Arsenal lifted last May after beating Chelsea, but regards it as the least significant of the trophies still available to him. He can be expected to employ a rotation policy similar to the one he used successfully at Manchester United on Saturday.
Arsenal play at home to Roma three days after the meeting with Chelsea, which will take place on Saturday, March 8th, because of that European commitment. Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Gilberto Silva were given a breather at Old Trafford, where Arsenal still won 2-0.
Asked whether he would rest players in the quarter-final, Wenger said: "I think I will have to. (But) I want always to keep a good balance in the team and win the game. If you rest players and lose the game all the players feel tired.
"We want to win what we can. We are not in a situation where we can choose. Maybe we will be happy to be in the FA Cup in two weeks' time."
So Arsenal were again paired with the toughest possible opponents, shades of last season when his team faced Liverpool and Newcastle en route to beating Chelsea 2-0 in Cardiff.
Chelsea have lost their last three games at Highbury, but Ken Bates is hoping to avenge that final defeat.
"My initial reaction was 'what a waste'," the chairman said. "Chelsea versus Arsenal in the Millennium Stadium is what we wanted to gain revenge for last season's final.
"Of all the clubs we didn't want to play, it was Arsenal, simply for that reason."
Leeds again travel to English League opponents, this time Sheffield United, where they lost in the League Cup. "We will have plenty of respect for United," said Terry Venables. "They really impressed me by getting to the semi-final of the League Cup."
The Wolves manager, David Jones, will go to Southampton for the first time since he was removed from that post there in 2000 as he prepared to fight child abuse allegations of which he was cleared.
"I have no animosity towards anyone," he said. "I still speak to the chairman on a regular basis and it will be nice to go back."
Southampton manager Gordon Strachan admits he is already dreaming of FA Cup glory.
"The last time I was a manager in the quarter-finals was with Coventry when we beat Aston Villa, Liverpool and Derby but then lost on penalties in a replay against Sheffield United.
"Once you get to the quarter-finals you can dream about winning it. Not many will relish coming to St Mary's to play us and I'm happy to take on anybody with this lot."
The winners of Burnley's replay at home to Fulham travel to Watford.
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