Ferguson & Wenger laud deadly duo
Ferguson and Wenger are looking forward to the clash
Old Trafford
Saturday 16 February
FA Cup fifth round
Kick-off: 1715 GMT
Replay if required: Wed 27 February, 1945 GMT
BBC coverage: LIVE on BBC One, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live; highlights on Match of the Day
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are both wary of each other's leading scorers ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie between Manchester United and Arsenal.
United's Cristiano Ronaldo leads the charts having scored 27 times this season while Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor has taken his tally to 22.
United boss Ferguson said: "Adebayor's got 12 goals in nine games so that shows the lad is on fire."
Wenger added: "The only way to stop Ronaldo is to get him to defend."
606: DEBATE
Who will win this titanic battle?
Both managers have hinted they may not be able to field their strongest XI, with Ferguson taking into consideration their Champions League tie in Lyon on Wednesday.
"I don't think either side will play the side everyone expects," Ferguson said.
"I'll make a couple of changes. The view is that with massive games with Arsenal and then Lyon, you have to have a lot of consideration about how you balance out your team and hopefully you get it right."
LAST FIVE FA CUP MEETINGS
11/03/99 Semi-final: Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal AET
14/03/99 Semi-final replay: Arsenal 1-2 Man Utd AET
15/02/03 Fifth round: Man Utd 0-2 Arsenal
03/03/04 Semi-final: Arsenal 0-1 Man Utd
21/5/05 Final: Arsenal 0-0 Man Utd AET Arsenal won 5-4 on penalties
Wenger has injury concerns over key players, although he said those doubtful would travel to Old Trafford.
"We have a few players who are on the edge," said Wenger.
"We are down to the bare bones. We have just 14 players and everyone will travel then I will make a decision.
"Gael Clichy, Philippe Senderos, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini all have muscular injuries. I will have to take a look and see who is in the most dangerous position."
Despite the problems, the 58-year-old Arsenal manager said he would not purposely field a weakened side.
"This game is a priority because it is the next game and we want to keep our good run going and we want to try to win the trophy," said the Frenchman, who has won the competition four times with Arsenal.
"Neither of us want a replay so we will go for it. It's always an exciting match-up because they play in a similar way to us."
Fasten your seatbelts
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
Ferguson agreed that both sides would provide an entertaining contest
"Fasten your seatbelts," said the 66-year-old Scot, who has led United to five FA Cup triumphs.
"It will be a typical United-Arsenal game, full of great commitment, with competitive football, but good play as well. Both teams play good football.
"Over the 20-odd years I've been here, Manchester United and Arsenal have been competing for trophies most of the time. For me personally, it has been a challenge against George Graham and now with Arsene Wenger. "These two clubs are run the right way and here for the long run when you look at the structure of both clubs. "You know that in five or six years time there won't be many fundamental changes, given the ages and composition of both sets of players."
Ferguson and Wenger are looking forward to the clash
Old Trafford
Saturday 16 February
FA Cup fifth round
Kick-off: 1715 GMT
Replay if required: Wed 27 February, 1945 GMT
BBC coverage: LIVE on BBC One, BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live; highlights on Match of the Day
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are both wary of each other's leading scorers ahead of Saturday's FA Cup tie between Manchester United and Arsenal.
United's Cristiano Ronaldo leads the charts having scored 27 times this season while Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor has taken his tally to 22.
United boss Ferguson said: "Adebayor's got 12 goals in nine games so that shows the lad is on fire."
Wenger added: "The only way to stop Ronaldo is to get him to defend."
606: DEBATE
Who will win this titanic battle?
Both managers have hinted they may not be able to field their strongest XI, with Ferguson taking into consideration their Champions League tie in Lyon on Wednesday.
"I don't think either side will play the side everyone expects," Ferguson said.
"I'll make a couple of changes. The view is that with massive games with Arsenal and then Lyon, you have to have a lot of consideration about how you balance out your team and hopefully you get it right."
LAST FIVE FA CUP MEETINGS
11/03/99 Semi-final: Man Utd 0-0 Arsenal AET
14/03/99 Semi-final replay: Arsenal 1-2 Man Utd AET
15/02/03 Fifth round: Man Utd 0-2 Arsenal
03/03/04 Semi-final: Arsenal 0-1 Man Utd
21/5/05 Final: Arsenal 0-0 Man Utd AET Arsenal won 5-4 on penalties
Wenger has injury concerns over key players, although he said those doubtful would travel to Old Trafford.
"We have a few players who are on the edge," said Wenger.
"We are down to the bare bones. We have just 14 players and everyone will travel then I will make a decision.
"Gael Clichy, Philippe Senderos, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mathieu Flamini all have muscular injuries. I will have to take a look and see who is in the most dangerous position."
Despite the problems, the 58-year-old Arsenal manager said he would not purposely field a weakened side.
"This game is a priority because it is the next game and we want to keep our good run going and we want to try to win the trophy," said the Frenchman, who has won the competition four times with Arsenal.
"Neither of us want a replay so we will go for it. It's always an exciting match-up because they play in a similar way to us."
Fasten your seatbelts
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson
Ferguson agreed that both sides would provide an entertaining contest
"Fasten your seatbelts," said the 66-year-old Scot, who has led United to five FA Cup triumphs.
"It will be a typical United-Arsenal game, full of great commitment, with competitive football, but good play as well. Both teams play good football.
"Over the 20-odd years I've been here, Manchester United and Arsenal have been competing for trophies most of the time. For me personally, it has been a challenge against George Graham and now with Arsene Wenger. "These two clubs are run the right way and here for the long run when you look at the structure of both clubs. "You know that in five or six years time there won't be many fundamental changes, given the ages and composition of both sets of players."
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