FA Cup: Sutton United v Arsenal preview

Sutton United v Arsenal preview

Arsene Wenger will look to end a nightmare week on a positive note when Arsenal travel to Sutton United in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday.

This season's FA Cup has taken on added significance for the Gunners, whose most realistic chance of silverware lies in the competition following their Champions League drubbing at Bayern Munich.

With Wenger's future at the club in doubt following the Allianz Arena humbling, the Frenchman can ill-afford a cup upset to non-league opposition.

For Sutton, the tie is just reward for their remarkable cup run, which has seen them eliminate Wimbledon and Leeds en route to their first ever fifth-round appearance.

Sutton boss Paul Doswell refused to divulge in the pre-match scrutiny of Wenger and instead focused on hosting the 12-time winners at the 5,000-capacity Gander Green Lane, which features a 3G pitch.

"It is an open forum to criticise Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, but from our perspective we are just over the moon that they are coming here," he said.

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny faces a scan on a thigh injury ahead of the fifth-round trip to Sutton.

The Gunners skipper was forced off in Wednesday's 5-1 Champions League defeat at Bayern and is unlikely to feature at Gander Green Lane, with Lucas Perez (hamstring), Aaron Ramsey (calf) and Santi Cazorla (Achilles) also missing out.

Wenger said he will pick a "normal team" for the tie rather than heavily rotate his starting line-up.

Doswell has a full squad to choose from ahead of hosting Arsenal, although the National League side have allowed striker Craig McAllister to re-join Eastleigh.