Non-league Lincoln City can complete a terrible week for Arsenal if they upset the Gunners in their FA Cup quarterfinal on Sunday.
It’s been a tough last few days for Arsene Wenger, with his side losing 3-1 to Liverpool in the Premiership last weekend and then crashing out of the Champions League in midweek following a 5-1 shellacking at home to Bayern Munich- their heaviest ever home defeat in a European tie, and their biggest loss at the Emirates since moving to the stadium over a decade ago
It is also the SEVENTH straight season that Arsenal have bowed out of the Champions League in the Round of 16, and while Bayern were favourites, nobody expected Carlo Ancelotti’s Bavarians to thrash the Gunners 10-2 on aggregate. Arsenal lead 1-0 at half time thanks to Theo Walcott’s strike but it all went horribly wrong after Laurent Koscielny’s dismissal early in the second half, with Bayern scoring five goals in a span of 30 minutes.
Arsenal’s embarrassing loss to Bayern Munich (VIDEO)
There’s also been talk of player unrest, and the sight of Alexis Sanchez trying to stifle his laughter on the bench as Bayern scored their fifth would certainly not have helped matters. Sanchez, arguably Arsenal’s best player, is said to be unhappy with the direction the club is taking, and is expected to leave this summer.
While things are looking very gloomy at the Emirates, they couldn’t be any different at Lincoln City, with the non-league club set to compete in their FIRST ever FA Cup quarterfinal this weekend. Never before in their 133 year history have they come so far, and they’re the first non-league club to reach the last eight of the tournament in over a century.
Lincoln City’s historic win over Burnley (VIDEO)
9,000 raucous City fans will be descending on the Emirates come Sunday and Virgin have been forced to press extra trains into service after regular services between Lincoln and London sold out.
The Imps will be sure to give it their all- they’re a non-league side and are 33/1 to beat the Gunners (1/10), but we cannot overlook the fact that they did beat a Premier League side away from home in the last round in the form of Burnley. Arsenal have also lost five of their last seven in all competitions and their title challenge looks all but over following the loss to Liverpool that leaves them sixteen behind leaders Chelsea. Do you fancy Lincoln to do what Sutton could not? Check out BettingTop10 for some free offers if you’re backing the Imps.
Lincoln City in the FA Cup this year
beat Altrincham 2-1
beat Oldham 3-2
beat Ipswich 1-0 in the replay after drawing 2-2 at Portman Road
beat Brighton 3-1
beat Burnley 1-0
Arsenal in the FA Cup this season
beat Preston 2-1
beat Southampton 5-0
beat Sutton 2-0
A loss to Lincoln will certainly add more pressure on Wenger, but even a second string Gunners outfit should be able to dispatch the Imps with ease, especially on home ground. This will be Arsenal’s 43rd FA Cup quarterfinal- Lincoln as mentioned before, have never featured at this stage.
Lincoln last beat Arsenal back in March 1915 and this is the first meeting between the two sides in 102 years.
Arsenal v Lincoln City (11 March 2017) 17.30