Good afternoon! The third round of the
FA Cup is well underway now and so far the Premier League teams have avoided any major shocks, which is a trend
Arsenal will hope to continue here today.
The 13-time winners take on League One Blackpool at Bloomfield Road this afternoon in a potential banana skin for them as Unai Emery looks to make his first step in a competition which his predecessor had such success in.
We will look at both sides a little later, but first let's check out the team news...
BLACKPOOL STARTING XI: Howard; Nottingham, Daniels, O'Connor; Bola, Spearing, Guy, Taylor, Feeney; Delfouneso, Gnanduillet
BLACKPOOL SUBS: Mafoumbi, Anderton, Bunney, McLaughlin, Pritchard, O'Sullivan, Davies
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Sokratis, Kolasinac; Elneny, Ramsey; Maitland-Niles, Willock, Iwobi; Nketiah
ARSENAL SUBS: Martinez, Jenkinson, Medley, Torreira, Guendouzi, Saka, Lacazette
What can we make of those two sides, then?
Well, we'll start with the visitors and their most notable piece of team news is that Petr Cech - who has been linked with a move away from the club - starts in goal as expected today, with Leno given the afternoon off completely.
Cech is a four-time winner of this competition and so knows what it is all about, so his experience could be crucial to ensuring that Arsenal do not take anything for granted today.
There is plenty of experience in the defence in front of him too, though, with
Unai Emery's hands being tied to some extent when it comes to rotation in that area of the field.
Mustafi is not risked after coming off at half time against Fulham with a hamstring complaint, while Bellerin, Monreal and Mavropanos also remain sidelined, so Sokratis and Koscielny once again pair up as the centre-back partnership, with Kolasinac on the left.
The only change of personal in that defensive line sees Stephan Lichtsteiner return to the team, but it also looks as though Arsenal will revert to a back four again, having switched to a back three against Fulham last time out.
Maitland-Niles played as a wing-back in that London derby and once again starts today, although this will be in a more advanced position as the right-sided attacker in the trio behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Mohamed Elneny is handed a rare start in defensive midfield as Torriera, Guendouzi and Xhaka are all rested, while Aaron Ramsey also returns to the starting lineup alongside the Egyptian.
If reports are to be believed this could be one of Ramsey's final appearances for Arsenal as talks over his future are ongoing. It looks certain that the Welshman will leave the club, although whether that happens in January or in the summer remains to be seen.
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It is a youthful front line ahead of Ramsey, with Eddie Nketiah leading the line as Aubameyang is given the afternoon off completely while Lacazette only makes the bench.
Behind him, Iwobi is one of the five players to keep their places from the win over Fulham as he features on the left of that attacking trio behind Nketiah, with Willock expected to fill in the number 10 role.
Blackpool, meanwhile, have gone with their two leading scorers up front as expected as they attempt to pull off a huge shock today, with Nathan Delfouneso and Armand Gnanduillet leading the line for the hosts.
Both players have five League One goals apiece this season, which is not exactly a statistic which will strike fear into Arsenal fans, but they are likely to be Blackpool's main hope of getting something today.
Terence McPhillips is without a few players for this match as Ollie Turton, Curtis Tilt, Max Clayton, Mark Cullen and Jimmy Ryan all miss out through injury, while Jordan Thompson serves the final match of his three-game suspension.
The hosts are able to name the experience of Jay Spearing in the middle of the park, though, with the former Liverpool man providing what could be invaluable Premier League experience ahead of this match.
In all, McPhillips has made just one change from the team which lost at home to Sunderland last time out as Nottingham replaces Heneghan in defence for the home side.
There are four changes from Blackpool's win over Solihull Moors in the last round, though, with Heneghan again one of those to miss out alongside Tilt, Thompson and Dodoo.
Not exactly a teamsheet to strike fear into the hearts of Arsenal, then, but Blackpool will be hoping that a little sprinkling of FA Cup magic falls their way today as they attempt to claim a major scalp.
The stats do not look good for the home side, though, as they come into the match sitting 10th in League One compared to Arsenal relatively lofty position of fifth in the Premier League.
Indeed, Blackpool's position of 10th in League One actually sounds better than it is too. It is a very top-heavy league this term, meaning that the Tangerines are actually closer to the relegation zone than the playoff places in terms of points.
Only four places separate them from the top six, but the gap to that is 10 points, whereas the 11 places separating them from the bottom three are spread out over only eight points.
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It is a poor run of form that has seen Blackpool slide away from playoff contention - if not too far down the table - having picked up just one point during an ongoing five-game winless run in League One.
That solitary point came against bottom-of-the-table AFC Wimbledon too, and the four games they have lost during that run is the same number as they lost during their opening 20 matches of the season.
Indeed, Blackpool had won six of their previous nine league games before this recent dip, so it is a poor spell of form which has come out of the blue to a certain extent.
One of the biggest problems they have faced this season is simply putting the ball in the back of the net, with just two teams have scored fewer goals in the entire league - one of those being basement club AFC Wimbledon. Blackpool come into this match with just one goal from their last five league games.
The most recent of those saw the Tangerines fall to a 1-0 defeat at home to Sunderland on New Year's Day, with Josh Maja getting the only goal of the game midway through the first half then.
That was a seconds successive home defeat for Blackpool - both by a 0-1 scoreline - and another loss today would see them beaten three times on the bounce in front of their own fans for the first time since August 2015.
One cause for optimism could come from the fact that Blackpool have not lost at home in this competition since 2013, winning three and drawing one in four Bloomfield Road outings since then.
The most recent of those was the match which sealed their place in this round, although they needed a replay and then extra time to overcome non-league Solihull Moors last month, having edged to a 3-2 victory over League Two Exeter in round one.
However, Arsenal are a different level entirely to what they have come up against so far in this season's competition, and history does not bode well for them having failed to win any of their last 14 FA Cup matches against top-flight opposition - a run which stretches back to victory over Burnley in 1976.
Blackpool nonetheless have an unbreakable link with this competition having won one of the greatest and most famous FA Cup finals of all time - a 4-3 win over Bolton Wanderers in 1953 which will forever be known as 'The Matthews final' after Stanley Matthews. Poor Stan Mortensen - who scored a hat-trick - does not even get the same treatment!
As proud a moment as that was for Blackpool, they simply cannot get close to Arsenal's level of history in this competition - although neither can the vast majority of teams, in truth.
The Gunners have lifted the FA Cup trophy on an unparalleled 13 occasions, and three of those have come within the past five years. The Gunners will be desperate to extend that purple patch this season, and they will always be amongst the favourites at the start of the competition.
Unai Emery has so far dealt well with the pressure of taking over from Arsene Wenger, but this is the competition in which the Frenchman had the most joy and by the time he left Arsenal in the summer, he had established himself as the most successful FA Cup boss in history with seven titles.
Emery, but contrast, is getting his first taste of the competition today, although he also had a formidable record in cup competitions during his time in charge of Sevilla and PSG.
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As glorious as Arsene Wenger's history is in this competition, Emery will not want to emulate his last season when long-serving the Frenchman suffered a third-round exit for the first time in his career.
That also came at the hands of lower-league opposition, with Nottingham Forest running out 4-2 winners, and having not been eliminated at the first hurdle since 1995-96 before that, they will be desperate not to make it back-to-back third-round upsets this season.
The Gunners had won seven FA Cup away games in a row and were unbeaten in eight prior to that defeat at Nottingham Forest, so they will be looking to get back on the winning trail away from home today.
Their general record on the road has not been great in recent weeks, though, with no wins from their last four matches stretching back to November - the most recent of which was the 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Liverpool last week.
Another loss tonight would condemn Arsenal to back-to-back away defeats across all competitions for the first time under Emery, but they have at least returned to winning ways since that loss at Anfield with a big win of their own back at the Emirates.
Fulham were their visitors on New Year's Day and they had a couple of good chances to break the deadlock with the score still goalless, but goals from Xhaka, Lacazette, Ramsey and Aubameyang ultimately wrapped up a 4-1 win for the Gunners.
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Victory today would see Arsenal pick up successive wins for the first time since December 13, having seen their form slip significantly since their 22-match unbeaten streak was ended.
The Gunners have now lost three of their last six matches across all competitions, leaving supporters in no doubt that their long run had indeed been masking plenty of problems which still need addressing.
Arsenal are nonetheless very much in the race for a return to the top four this season, with only three points now separating them from Chelsea after the Blues drew with Southampton in midweek.
Only Liverpool and Manchester City have scored more goals than Arsenal in the league this season, but their main problem has been at the other end, with only three teams conceding more outside the bottom five too. Fortunately for them, they are coming up against a low-scoring lower-league team today.
PREDICTION: Right, we are 10 minutes away from kickoff at Bloomfield Road, which means that it is time for a prediction!
Blackpool gave Arsenal a good game of things when they met in the EFL Cup earlier this season - and that was at the Emirates - but they are in poor form coming into this match. There is a sniff of an upset about this game, but we're still backing the Gunners to get the job done.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Blackpool 0-3 Arsenal
That EFL Cup tie I alluded to saw both teams finish with 10 men as Guendouzi and O'Connor were sent off for Arsenal and Blackpool respectively, but the Tangerines were still able to push Arsenal all the way at the Emirates.
Goals from Lichtsteiner and Smith Rowe put the Gunners 2-0 up after 50 minutes, but O'Connor pulled one back before his red card and the fourth-round tie ended with just one goal in it.
That made it nine games unbeaten and five wins in a row for Arsenal against Blackpool across all competitions, but it is today's hosts who edge the head-to-head record when it comes to previous FA Cup meetings.
Arsenal won the most recent of their three previous ties - winning 3-1 in 1999 - but prior to that Blackpool beat Arsenal in 1952-53 en route to the trophy and then again in 1969-70.
This is Arsenal's first visit to Bloomfield Road since April 2011, when Blackpool were a Premier League side before their tumble down the divisions over the past seven years.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher got Blackpool's only goal of the game on that occasion, but Abou Diaby and Emmanuel Eboue had already put Arsenal two ahead and Robin van Persie made sure of the points 14 minutes from time.
Right, we're almost ready for kickoff at Bloomfield Road now. Let's have a quick reminder of the team news before kickoff...
BLACKPOOL STARTING XI: Howard; Nottingham, Daniels, O'Connor; Bola, Spearing, Guy, Taylor, Feeney; Delfouneso, Gnanduillet
ARSENAL STARTING XI: Cech; Lichtsteiner, Koscielny, Sokratis, Kolasinac; Elneny, Ramsey; Maitland-Niles, Willock, Iwobi; Nketiah
In fact, there has been a change from that Arsenal XI, with Koscielny picking up a back injury in the warm-up. Carl Jenkinson has come into the side as a result.
KICKOFF: Arsenal get us underway at Bloomfield Road!
CHANCE! It takes less than three minutes for Arsenal to slice through Blackpool as Ramsey slides a pass in for Maitland-Niles, who just touches it into the path of Nketiah. The striker only has the keeper to beat, but he can only find the side-netting.
CHANCE! Blackpool hit straight back with a holden chance of their own! It is poor defending from Lichtsteiner as he backs off and backs off, allowing Gnanduillet to just dance into the area to leave himself one on one with Cech. The veteran keeper makes a big save to deny the hosts the lead.
CHANCE! The chances are flowing in the early stages here! Blackpool give possession away inside their own half as Jenkinson pokes the ball through for Maitland-Niles. The winger plays the low ball across for Nketiah, but he fires wide. He was stretching for it, but that was another golden chance for the youngster.
Both defences look leaky in the opening exchanges here, and we could have easily had three goals in the opening 10 minutes. Very fast start to this one.
GOAL! BLACKPOOL 0-1 ARSENAL (JOE WILLOCK)
GOAL! The opening goal does arrive early as
Joe Willock reacts quickly to tuck home a rebound into an empty net.
Ramsey's initial free kick takes a big deflection which sends it crashing against the inside of the post before bouncing out to the youngster, who sends a stooping header into the unguarded goal.
It seemed inevitable that there would be an early goal in this game after the way it had started, and I suspect a few more may follow before half time too. Arsenal seem to be slicing Blackpool open at will.
CHANCE! Yet another chance for Arsenal as Iwobi clips a cross to the far post, where Jenkinson tries to nod his header back into a dangerous area when he should have gone for goal from close range.
This could be anything for Arsenal today. They are creating chance after chance and Blackpool look powerless to prevent them from getting through at the moment. I shudder to think what the likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette would do to this defence!
SAVE! Sight of goal for Taylor as he collects the ball and tries a half-volley on the turn, but it takes a deflection which allows Cech to gather.
Better from Blackpool in the last five minutes or so as they begin to see a little bit more of the ball and, crucially, stem the flow of chances for Arsenal.
SHOT! The ball is teed up for Elneny to have a crack at goal and, while he doesn't catch his effort, the ball trickles along the floor before bobbling over the keeper when he went to collect it. Fortunately for Blackpool, it was not on target.
Feeney clips a cross into the box but two Blackpool players get in each other's way as they go for a header. This is a good spell for the home side, though.
SHOT! Iwobi jinks his way into a shooting position just outside the area, but he drags his strike wide of the target.
Arsenal should be concerned that even a goal-shy League One side are creating sights of goal against their defence in this match. Blackpool have grown into the game as it has progressed.
Almost another big chance for Blackpool as a free kick finds Gnanduillet, but he heads straight at Cech and looks across to see his blushes spared by the offside flag.
We're past the half-hour mark in this one now and Blackpool are still very much in this game when it didn't look like they would be after Arsenal's opener. They have done well to fight their way back into it.
SAVE! A long throw is met by an unconvincing punch from Cech and Blackpool keep the pressure on, but Feeney's subsequent effort is easily saved by the keeper.
Blackpool will have been encouraged by this performance so far. They have tightened up at the back and look capable of getting through the Arsenal defence at the other end. The Gunners need another to put this game to bed.
Arsenal have enjoyed more of the ball in this match, but only just. They have had 53% possession, which is lower than you would expect against League One opposition.
GOAL! BLACKPOOL 0-2 ARSENAL (JOE WILLOCK)
GOAL! It is two for Arsenal and two for Nketiah as they give Blackpool a mountain to climb towards the end of the first half!
Iwobi carries the ball forward before sliding in Jenkinson on the overlap, and his cross into the middle is flicked goalwards by Nketiah. It is just drifting wide of the far post, but Willock is once again opportunistic and converts at the back post.
That is exactly what Arsenal needed, as their one-goal lead looked far from secure here. It is hard to see them letting a two-goal lead slip against Blackpool, though.
There was just a question over handball against Iwobi in the build-up to that goal, but we do not have VAR at this stadium so they could not check it. The goal stands.
That second goal seems to have taken the wind out of Blackpool's sails. The hosts have given a good account of themselves in this first half, but they would need something remarkable to salvage something from this position.
There will be a minimum of one minute added time at the end of this first half.
CHANCE! Arsenal should have a third as a long punt forward ends up falling to Nketiah inside the box, but he is denied by a smart save from Howard. Nketiah could have had a hat-trick in this first half!
HALF TIME: BLACKPOOL 0-2 ARSENAL
The first half comes to an end at Bloomfield Road, then, and Arsenal find themselves in complete control of the match - despite their League One hosts having played quite well going forward at times.
Arsenal have created plenty of chances and should be further ahead than 2-0 in truth, although their defence has once again been lacking at times to the extent that a goal-shy Blackpool side have offered enough to give them some encouragement.
After an open start, the first goal came after only 11 minutes when Joe Willock got his first of the evening with an opportunistic finish into an empty net.
There was not much Blackpool could have done as Ramsey's free kick deflected off Spearing in the wall and crashed against the inside of the post, bouncing back out to Willock, who sent a stooping header into the empty net.
Willock made it two for himself and his team eight minutes before the interval with another poacher's finish, this time tucking home at the back post after Nketiah had turned Jenkinson's cross towards goal.
There was an element of controversy about that goal as the ball may have hit Iwobi's hand during the build-up, although it is not even clear on replays whether that was the case so the referee cannot be blamed too much for missing it.
It is a long way back for Blackpool in this second half, of course, but they have created chances and the Arsenal defence have looked far from solid in this match so far.
It will be a concern for Emery that his side have allowed so many chances, but they remain in control of this one.
KICKOFF: Blackpool get us back underway for the second half!
UPDATE: There are other games taking place at 5.30pm in the FA Cup this afternoon, but none of them have seen any goals aside from this one.
SHOT! Half a chance again as Delfouneso lays a square pass to Nottingham, who goes for goal from the edge of the box, but he drags his effort well wide.
There is less belief about Blackpool after that second goal - they know how big a task it is for them to recover from this position now. One goal will change things, but it is a huge ask for the hosts now.
Arsenal will be desperate to keep a clean sheet now. They have not been convincing at the back so far, but clean sheets have been very few and far between for them recently so this is a big chance for them to get one.
YELLOW CARD! Kolasinac picks up a card for a cynical hold on Delfouneso, who had skipped past the Arsenal man.
CHANCE! Big chance for Blackpool to get a foothold in this game! Bola fires a low ball into the box and it goes all the way through to Nottingham, but he fires well over the crossbar when he should have done better!
Very nervous moment for Cech as he stumbles into the ball with Gnanduillet nearby, but he just about recovers to scramble it clear.
BLACKPOOL SUB: Change for the home side here as Taylor is replaced by Harry Pritchard.
Pritchard has been heavily involved since coming on with two crosses into the box, the second of which results in a mini-scramble. The ball looks like it might fall for Feeney, but O'Connor gets in his teammate's way and a shooting opportunity goes begging!
ARSENAL SUB: Change for the visitors now as Alexandre Lacazette comes on for Nketiah.
Half a chance for Blackpool as O'Connor attacks a corner, but he cannot climb high enough and the ball skims off the top of his head on its way wide.
SHOT! Willock darts into the area but is eventually dispossessed, although the clearance falls invitingly for Elneny outside the area. He cannot resists the shot, but doesn't catch it right and sends it bobbling wide.
Blow for Blackpool here as goalkeeper Howard goes down after seemingly pulling his groin while taking a goal kick. He may not be able to continue here.
BLACKPOOL SUB: Sure enough, Howard trudges off to be replaced by Christopher Mafoumbi.
SHOT! A cross from the Arsenal right is only cleared as far as the edge of the box and it drops invitingly for Kolasinac, who lashes his effort high and wide.
UPDATE: Goals have been few and far between elsewhere in the FA Cup this evening, but there could be two shocks on the cards with Bristol City and Blackburn both beating Premier League opposition in Huddersfield and Newcastle respectively.
Just 15 minutes remaining in this match now and it is all about game management for Arsenal from here. One goal for Blackpool would pile the pressure on the visitors, but something needs to change for that to occur.
Iwobi tries to slide a pass through for Lacazette, but it is just too far in front of the striker when he would have been through on goal.
More close passing on the edge of the box from Arsenal as Willock tries to break into the box, and he has the chance to go down but turns it down.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Willock thinks that he has completed his hat-trick as he taps into an empty net from Kolasinac's pass, but the flag is raised against the full-back. Easy decision for the official.
GOAL! BLACKPOOL 0-3 ARSENAL (ALEX IWOBI)
GOAL! Well, if it wasn't wrapped up before then it is now!
Lacazette plays the ball into the path of Ramsey, who should score himself but sees his toe-poke well saved by the keeper. Iwobi is there to tap in the rebound, although the replay shows that he was offside and the goal should not have counted.
BLACKPOOL SUB: Blackpool make a change in the wake of that goal as Steve Davies replaces Gnanduillet.
ARSENAL SUB: Arsenal have also made a change, with Zech Medley replacing Kolasinac.
CHANCE! Arsenal almost add a fourth as Iwobi races down the left into a full half of green grass - or rather brown mud. He seems caught in two minds before eventually going for goal, but the keeper stands up to make the save.
ARSENAL SUB: That is Iwobi's final action too as he is replaced by Bakayo Saka.
UPDATE: A couple of other goals to tell you about from elsewhere - Newcastle have levelled things up against Blackpool, while Crystal Palace have taken a late lead against Grimsby.
CHANCE! Ramsey is played through on goal, but the keeper comes racing off his line and makes a crucial challenge. The ball bounces out to Saka, but he cannot control it with the keeper still out of position.
There will be four minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: BLACKPOOL 0-3 ARSENAL
It is a comfortable win for Arsenal in the end, though, as they run out 3-0 winners at Bloomfield Road to book their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Joe Willock was the star of the show for Arsenal with two goals in the first half, and Alex Iwobi added the third late in the second. Blackpool gave it a good go, but in the end the gulf in class between the two sides told.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's match as Arsenal ease into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a routine win over League One Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
