By Mark Heys
January 26 2006

Bolton Wanderers will be hoping to inflict further cup misery on Arsenal when the two sides meet at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday evening.

It has been a miserable week for Arsene Wenger's side as they lost in the league at Everton last week, with a League Cup Semi Final exit at the hands of Wigan Athletic following some days later.

A trip to a ground where they seldom achieve any success will be the last thing that Wenger will want but he can take heart by the fact that the Gunners truimphed at the Reebok in the same competition just a little under a year ago.

Bolton have been defeated just once at home in any competition since the season began and the league match against the Gunners back in December went the way of the Wanderers.

Stelios Giannakopoulos and Abdoulaye Faye got the Bolton goals that day in a 2-0 success but the latter will be missing for this one as he is still away with Senegal in the African Nations Cup.

Jay-Jay Okocha, El-Hadji Diouf and Radhi Jaidi are also absent due to their participation in the same competition and both Henrik Pedersen and Gary Speed are both some way off returning to the side following injury.

Japanese midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata returns after serving a suspension. He was once a big transfer target of Arsenal's a few seasons ago but the London club could not prize him away from Italian football.

Khalilou Fadiga is awaiting news on his knee injury sustained in the early part of last weeks win over Manchester City but fellow midfielder Ivan Campo is once again expected to start after putting in a good performance against the Mancunians.

Current cup holders Arsenal look set to rest Thierry Henry and Lauren for this game as they are still plagued by hamstring injuries so Arsene Wenger could give games to many of his fringe players.

Full back Ashley Cole suffered yet another injury scare in his comeback game against Middlesbrough and will not be risked for the long trip up to Lancashire but Sol Campbell may now play due to a late injury picked up by Brazilian star Gilberto Silva.

French youngster Abou Diaby may get another chance in midfield for Arsenal after making the move over to England from Auxerre recently. The 19-year old is hoping for his second consecutive start having been involved in the game against Wigan in midweek

England youth international Kerrea Gilbert may once again deputise at right back in the enforced absence of Lauren.

FA CUP RECORD

02/02/1895 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 WOOLWICH ARSENAL 0

13/01/1912 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 WOOLWICH ARSENAL 0

08/01/1938 ARSENAL 3 BOLTON WANDERERS 1

18/02/1967 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 ARSENAL 0

22/02/1967 ARSENAL 3 BOLTON WANDERERS 0

16/02/1980 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 ARSENAL 1

19/02/1980 ARSENAL 3 BOLTON WANDERERS 0

08/01/1983 ARSENAL 2 BOLTON WANDERERS 1

31/01/1994 BOLTON WANDERERS 2 ARSENAL 2

09/02/1994 ARSENAL 1 BOLTON WANDERERS 3

12/03/2005 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 ARSENAL 1

FA CUP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 11

Won: 3

Drawn: 3

Lost: 5

CONNECTIONS

George Hunt, Brian Kidd, Isaiah Rankin, Bruce Rioch

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED ARSENAL

Arsenal's Freddie Ljungberg missed from just a couple of yards out when these two sides last met in the FA Cup. It mattered little though as the Swede had already scored the matchwinner as the game was in time added on.

Senegal striker El-Hadji Diouf was sent off for Bolton in the same game following a clash with Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.