FA Cup replay preview: Arsenal v Swansea City

Arsene Wenger

Arsène Wenger is under pressure. Everyone knows that and so does the Frenchman, so one can only imagine what would happen if Arsenal crash out of the FA Cup.

The Gunners are at home to Swansea to fight it out for a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup in this third round reply following a thrilling 2-2 draw, and if Arsenal were to lose at the Emirates, then Wenger will certainly incur the wrath of the Arsenal fans.

Some of the supporters of the north London outfit believe Wenger’s time is up at the club, while some still think he is the right man to guide Arsenal through this difficult period.

The match against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the weekend didn’t go according to plan, as by the 10th minute Arsenal were reduced to 10 men after Laurent Koscielny was given his marching orders, and they lost the game 2-0 having not put up a fight.

Which is why Wenger has called on his team- still without a victory in 2013- to fight their way back to form, beginning with overcoming Swansea.

“We have to fight to do as well as possible until the end of the season,” said Wenger, a man feeling the strain, who also added that the negativity shown by some fans because of going eight years without a trophy has made the team anxious.

“We are a bit too nervous to play in a serene way at home. I don’t know if it is linked with that (the crowd) but it doesn’t help,” he said.

Swansea have surprised many this season.

Not only did they survive their first ever season in the Premier League by finishing a credible 11th, they have taken on Michael Laudrup as a rookie manager and have been the team of the 2012/13 season so far.

Which is a credit to Laudrup. The Dane was brought in to replace Brendan Rogers in the summer, and not many believed Laudrup could do a similar, if not, better job than his predecessor.

And Laudrup has certainly picked the buy of the season in the shape of Michu.

The Spaniard has found the back of the net 16 times in 24 appearances for Swansea, and Laudrup believes the time has come for the 26-year-old to be selected for his country by FIFA Coach of the Year Vicente del Bosque.

“I think he [Del Bosque] has already made up his mind about Michu,” said Laudrup on his £2million signing. “We say often about Michu - he gets one chance and he nearly scores a goal again. I hope he gets an opportunity to play a couple of times with probably the best, at this moment, national team in the world,” he added.

Swansea have already come to the Emirates and done some serious damage to Arsenal.

Back in December Michu struck twice in a 2-0 victory, but with Wenger calling on his players to start to find their fighting spirit, this cup replay is likely to go the way of the Gunners.

Relieving some of the pressure off Wenger’s shoulders for the time being.

Prediction: Arsenal 2 Swansea City 1

İsmail Vedat

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