Preview: City v Arsenal

When Sky and others come to put together their celluloid montages of the 2009/10 Premier League season sure to be included will be the enduring images of Emmanuel Adebayor wheeling away after scoring, running the entire length of the Eastlands pitch, sliding on his knees before 4,000 or so aggrieved southerners and facing a barrage of hurled objects ranging from bottles, sandwiches, the odd bit of fruit, and even a photographer's stool.

The afternoon will also be remembered for other incidents, some forgotten sooner than others. Several challenges from both sets of players might by some officials have been deemed worthy of bookings, or worse. Delightful Dutch striker Robin van Persie's goal celebration meanwhile was barely mentioned, effing and jeffing at kids and ladies is fine, as we all know. Unpunished for that, he decided to go one further and headbutt the boot of his Togolese former colleague.

With these incidents still fresh in the memory then, it's probably for the better that van Persie won't be taking any part tomorrow, or for that matter other senior Arsenal players like Cesc Fabregas or Bill Gallas. Hopefully the scores that you might anticipate would've been settled had it been a league game can be forgotten, or at least postponed until our handsome 4th place-clinching win at the Emirates in April.

Mark Hughes has confirmed that we'll go with the strongest possible eighteen, and rightly so. Given we've no European football this season we're not in a position to take the competition less seriously than others might. I think we'll start as we did against Hull, with Pablo Zabaleta and Gareth Barry having to make do with places on the bench and Robinho to the left of a 4-4-2 featuring Tevez and Adebayor at its head.

Were it my call i'd probably make changes in attack, though i don't think Hughes will. Few will agree but i'd consider starting Roque Santa Cruz alongside Adebayor to make the most of an inexperienced central-defence expected to consist of the gormless Philippe Senderos and former United left-back Mikael Silvestre. I personally think both of those players can be got at, Silvestre especially who even Arsenal fans will tell you can be extremely shaky. Whether we have the wide players to make the most of any increased aerial threat is questionable.

In the full-back slots Arsenal are quite likely to go with Kerrea Gilbert, and given the lack of options on the left, Armand Traore. I'd like to think that whoever we play on the flanks will fancy their chances against either. Shaun Wright-Phillips, whose form seems to be up and down at the moment, and Robinho, the best of a bad bunch on Saturday, will be favourites to get the nod, though i think i'd perhaps start with Craig Bellamy in place of one of the two, his tenacity certainly helped during the earlier fixture.

As much as Arsenal's expected starting eleven's inexperience is obvious, we should certainly not underestimate them. Every side we've played at home this season has given us a game, at least in patches, with the possible exception of West Ham. Hull and Burnley have both come here and played, especially the latter, and if sides like that are capable of hurting us with possession then a well-schooled side of Wenger's prodigies certainly are.

Merida, Vela, Wilshere and Ramsey are all exceptional talents, and will go on to be top Premier League players. If we're not on the ball our defence, who have all looked cumbersome and lumbering at some stage of the season so far, could struggle against any of those potential match-winners. Given that Wenger could well add a couple of more seasoned performers to the mix, Rosicky, Eduardo, perhaps even Walcott, and i'm sure people can appreciate that there will be plenty for us to deal with.

What could work in Arsenal's favour is that there's really no pressure on them at all, no-one's expecting their second-string to progress. At the same time it wouldn't be a huge shock if they did, and saying we'll be heavy favourites is no slight on them, their supporters will freely admit the League Cup is bottom of their list of priorities. My point is that given recent results, and upcoming fixtures, we need to win. It will be interesting to see how both sides deal with the different expectations.

I'm anticipating a very open game, and a few goals. I'd take a 1-0 now, sure most fans would, but at the same time a good performance would lift spirits after recent dropped points. Both sides are capable of exciting football and conceding stupid goals, and i can see that making for a cracker. Five years ago Arsenal came to Eastlands and a similarly young side dispatched of us quite easily in front of a half-empty stadium. A lot's changed since then, let's have no repeats, and put this quarter-final hoodoo to bed once and for all.

Possible teams:
City: Given, Richards, Bridge, Toure, Lescott, de Jong, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Tevez, Adebayor, Robinho

Arsenal: Fabianski, Gilbert, Traore, Senderos, Silvestre, Denilson, Merida, Ramsey, Vela, Eduardo, Wilshere

Prediction: City 3 Arsenal 2 (AET)