Former Premier League ace, Michael Owen, has predicted that Arsenal’s FA Cup game against Sheffield United will go all the way to penalties.
The Gunners will take on Sheffield United this weekend as they attempt to win a record 14th FA Cup trophy.
Mikel Arteta won the 2014 edition as Arsenal’s captain and the Spaniard will look to inspire his players to bring the trophy back to the Emirates, but they would have to beat the Blades in the quarterfinals first.
Arsenal’s season went downhill the last time they visited Bramall Lane as their 1-0 loss there seemed to burst their bubble and they then went on a bad run of form that eventually cost Unai Emery his job.
Sheffield United has been struggling since the restart and they will come into this game on the back of two losses from as many games since the restart, but Owen still thinks that Chris Wilder’s side will give Arsenal a run for their money and he predicted a loss for the Gunners via penalties.
Owen said as quoted in the Mirror: “In many ways, this could be a bigger game for Arsenal than for Sheffield United. The blades have had a terrific season so far and any further progress will be the icing on the cake, but with Arsenal hovering around mid-table, it’s been a poor season for them. They are a club used to challenging for silverware and with Arteta being an FA Cup winner himself, it would be a major boost for Arsenal if they could collect a trophy this early in the Arteta era.
“The last two meetings in the FA Cup between the sides ended in a draw after 90 mins, with the most recent being a 5th round replay which Arsenal eventually won 4-2 on penalties. With both sides failing to replicate their form in the league since the restart, I think this could be heading for another draw and based on the current goalkeeper situation – with Henderson being in good form and Leno being out injured – I fancy the Blades to sneak through on penalties.”
