{"id":301370,"date":"2011-03-11T11:40:34","date_gmt":"2011-03-11T11:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/11\/fa-cup-preview\/"},"modified":"2011-03-11T11:40:34","modified_gmt":"2011-03-11T11:40:34","slug":"fa-cup-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/11\/fa-cup-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"FA Cup preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
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20110311<\/p>\n

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Eight teams battle for semi-final places this weekend<\/h3>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t Last updated: 11th March 2011\u00a0\u00a0 \"Subscribe<\/a> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\t\t\t\"FA<\/p>\n

FA Cup quarter-final weekend<\/p>\n

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Related links<\/h3>\n

Teams<\/h4>\n

Also see<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The FA Cup has reached the quarter-final stage and Manchester United’s clash with Arsenal takes centre stage.\n<\/p>\n

Manchester United<\/b> beat Arsenal<\/b> 4-0 the last time the teams met in FA Cup action at Old Trafford in February 2008 and they will be the pre-match favourites to advance to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

Sir Alex Ferguson’s troops have enjoyed the week off while the Gunners arrive in Manchester bruised and battered following their UEFA Champions League exit to Barcelona.<\/p>\n

However, Arsenal have enjoyed FA Cup success at Old Trafford before and Arsene Wenger’s men will be keen to ensure they maintain their hopes of ending the campaign with a league and cup double.<\/p>\n

Saturday’s other game sees injury-hit Birmingham<\/b> entertain Bolton<\/b> at St Andrews with manager Alex McLeish hoping at least eight wounded players are fit enough to feature.<\/p>\n

Blues brushed aside League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals, while Bolton edged out Fulham in their fifth round encounter at Craven Cottage.<\/p>\n

Although Bolton’s Premier League form has dipped since the turn of the year they remain determined to win the cup and Birmingham will not have it all their own way in the Midlands.<\/p>\n

Ambitious<\/h4>\n

The blue half of Manchester play on Sunday with ambitious Manchester City<\/b> hosting surprise package Reading<\/b> at Eastlands.<\/p>\n

City go into the game on the back of a disappointing Europa League defeat to Dynamo Kiev and nothing less than success this weekend will do.<\/p>\n

Reading are not to be underestimated having knocked out both West Brom and Everton already en route to the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

The weekend’s final clash sees hard-to-beat Stoke City<\/b> host resurgent West Ham at The Britannia.<\/p>\n

Stoke are notoriously difficult on home soil, although the visitors take on Tony Pulis’ troops full of confidence following rare back-to-back league triumphs, including a 3-0 victory over the Potters last time out.<\/p>\n

The Hammers have been excellent in cup competitions this term having reached the Carling Cup semi-finals and will have no plans to bow out to the Potters.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tFA Cup Winner 10\/11 Win Outright: Man Utd 9\/4<\/a>\n\t\t <\/div>\n

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