FA CUP QUARTER FINALS WEEKEND

The FA Cup is still a magic competition.The eight remaining clubs will hopefully field their strongest teams.Birmingham have won the Carling Cup,have several key injuries,and their priority is to stay in the Premier League.I do not know what team Alex McLeish will field at home to Bolton on Sunday lunchtime.But if he wants to go back to Wembley then he will need his strongest against Bolton who are currently 7th in the Premier League.The tie of the round is Manchester United at home to Arsenal on Saturday lunch-time.United have just lost two big ones to Chelsea and Liverpool.They and Arsenal and their managers are great rivals.Arsene Wenger,without a major trophy for six years,needs to win something again.Then on Sunday Stoke are at home to West Ham at 2.00p.m. while Manchester City play Championship Reading at 4.45p.m.Birmingham's tie is at 12.45p.m. on ESPN,the United-Arsenal at 5.15p.m. on ITV1 while Stoke's home tie is on ITV1 and Manchester City's on ESPN.