Arshavin will probably start seeing as he can’t play on Wednesday. Eduardo and Walcott will be in the squad. I expect the team selection will be heavily influenced by the Roma game on Wednesday

A good week for us in the league, with the gap above us halved and the gap below us doubled, and now we concentrate on the cups for the next few days as we take on Burnley in the FA Cup and Roma in the Champions League. The FA Cup is a genuine chance of silverware this season, if we beat Championship Burnley and one win in twelve Hull at home then we’re in the semi finals at Wembley. If, as is perhaps expected Everton get past Middlesbrough, then the semi final draw will include three teams we have already beaten this season. In one off games anything can happen, but also by that token we need to be careful and get the job done against Burnley and Hull. Burnley have already knocked us out of one competition this season and I’m sure they’d love to make that two. Tickets for this game went to general sale so you can be sure Burnley will have brought a big following, probably taking up a whole corner of the ground like Cardiff did. We’ve won all our home games in the domestic cups this season and we’ll certainly be fielding a stronger team than the one that succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Turf Moor in December.

Burnley have only won two of their last six league games (not that we can talk, we’ve won one in six), drawing three and losing one. They’re in seventh place in the Championship, only one point off of the playoff places. Cardiff are three places above them having played two less games, so hopefully we’ll despatch Burnley out of the FA Cup in a similar style. They’ve beaten five Premier League teams in cup competition this season including us. An early goal would be very useful on Sunday, we really can’t afford a replay as no one would have any idea when it would be played. If we qualify for the next round of the Champions League, there’s no available fixture slots for even one, let alone two FA Cup games before when the semi finals are scheduled to take place, and I’m guessing they can’t be postponed as they have to be played at the same time as each other. A replay would have to involve Premier League games being rescheduled. Hopefully we’ll get some more Eduardo cup heroics, if he plays.

Team News

Fabianski will come back into the side as the cup keeper and Gibbs will start at left back. Arshavin will probably start seeing as he can’t play on Wednesday. Eduardo and Walcott will be in the squad. I expect the team selection will be heavily influenced by the Roma game on Wednesday. Ramsey could perhaps get a run out in midfield and Vela could play on the left or up front. Gallas should come back into the side after his injury, and van Persie might play after being rested against West Brom. Toure’s calf injury will most likely keep him out of this fixture so Djourou will keep his place in the team alongside Gallas. Bendtner will probably keep his place too after impressing on Tuesday as Adebayor has been ruled out of the next two games, perhaps he might start alongside Eduardo like the Cardiff game. Or we could go with the Roma formation with Walcott on the right, Vela on the left and Arshavin behind van Persie/Bendtner. Although I don’t see Walcott starting his first game back after four months out.

Subs: Almunia, Clichy, Denilson, Diaby, Walcott, Nasri, van Persie.

Right back Rhys Williams is cup-tied as he is on loan from Middlesbrough. Graham Alexander could cover at right back. Centre back Michael Duff is suspended.