Image source FA Cup.com
The English Premier League (EPL) takes a break this weekend with focus turning to the Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup).
Arsenal who are currently at the top of the log in the league and defending champions of the FA Cup will be seeking a third and rare title when they take on struggling Sunderland on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium.
The gunners have won the trophy 12 times now and another title in 2016 will make them only the third club in history to win the tournament three years in a row.
Going into this match, the Gunners have a lot going for them. One, the last time they lost a match in the Cup competition was in 2013 following defeat to Blackburn Rovers in the fifth round.
Secondly, Sunderland have only beaten Arsenal once out of the 22 meetings between them.
Sunderland have had a bad run of results in the league and could struggle to get a positive result away.
Watch How Leeds edged out Manchester United out of the FA Cup in 2010
In another match, Manchester City face Norwich City on the back of their 2-1 loss to Everton in a League Cup match on Tuesday. Despite their low position in the league, Norwich boast of having won three of their last four matches. In October, they narrowly went down 2-1 to Manchester City away and will be out to get their revenge this time around.
Leicester City second in the league are away to Tottenham Hotspur while Southampton and Crystal Palace clash in the other all Premier League fixture. Liverpool kick-off the FA Cup fixtures on Friday with a match against Exeter away.
The Reds will be without ten key players who are injured.
Defenders Kolo Toure, Dejan Lovranaya well as striker Philippe Coutinho became the latest casualties in the injury crisis at Liverpool after developing hamstring injuries during Tuesday’s 1-0 win at Stoke in the League Cup.
The three join Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge, Martin Skrtel, Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Henderson, Danny Ings and Joe Gomez who have been absent and leave the Reds struggling at the back.
Despite the injury crisis, Liverpool have everything going for them in this match. While their opponents only boast of a quarter final appearance in the event as their best run, the Reds have seven FA Cup trophies in their cabinet.
The third division side can still rely on the surprise element to get something from this fixture.