Televised Match Previews / Richard Walker / 07 March 2009 / Leave a comment

This is Arsenal's best chance of silverware this season and Arsene Wenger knows that this one to take seriously. But it may take a while before the Gunners eventually break Burnley down, says Richard Walker, so your best bet is go to for Draw/Arsenal on the HT/FT market at @ [4.6].

IF you consider Arsene Wenger not to be so arrogant as to think he's in with a great chance of winning the Champions League, then this competition - and an awkward home tie against Burnley - suddenly becomes a massively important moment in Arsenal's season.

Or perhaps not. For it seems that the Gunners' board are the only Boardroom protagonists from the so-called Big Four who appear content without a hint of success coming their way in recent seasons.

For a logical man like Wenger, defeat should not be countenanced and I agree; this despite Owen Coyle's Clarets boasting both a tremendous cup record this term and being on a run of only one defeat in eight games.

However nothing comes easy at The Emirates these days, so my top tip is that it'll take past the break for Arsenal to open up Burnley's resilience. Make Draw/Arsenal HT/FT, [4.6] to back, your chief play for this tie. If you disagree, and can see all-the-way home team dominance, Arsenal/Arsenal is [2.3] to back. For Clarets' followers, Draw/Burnley [19.0] and Arsenal/Burnley [120.0] are fancy enough for a fun flutter.

Likely some of the injured returning stars - like Theo Walcott and Eduardo - might come off the bench rather than start, so I expect to see an injection of effervescence in the second half. For Burnley, Micky Duff is suspended but other injured folk are all set to return.

The hosts are short enough to be for big backers only, priced up at [1.48] in the Match Odds section. The Draw at [4.5] and the visitors [9.6] complete the triumvirate of options. At Turf Moor? Yes, game on; in north London? I can't see it for the affable Coyle who's done a fine job since switching south from St. Johnstone.

Coyle will give little away with most likely a 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 shape. He's attack-minded but short of daft, that's for certain. In the fourth round, Cardiff tried to match the Gunners pass-for-pass on their own patch and lost 4-0. Take that result away and Arsenal have scored just twice in their other five most recent home matches.

So it's an Unders day for me in the ever-liquid 2.5 goals market. That's a [1.93] chance, probably a bit longer than usual because of that previous round demolition of the Bluebirds. Overs is [2.02] if you prefer.

Leading on from that, a section that's rarely mentioned is the HT score. Here, 0-0 is always popular since that's how the game starts - and I'm hoping it'll justify slight favouritism by supporting it at odds of [2.9]. It's [3.1] to back "1-0 To The Arsenal" (in the words of that terrace anthem) should you reckon they'll have got into top gear pre-interval.

Overall, I'll be splitting my Correct Score (FT) stake as usual, this time between 1-0 Arsenal [7.4] and 2-0 to the Gunners at [7.0]. Again, there is of course a myriad of options and I couldn't talk you out of a small saver on Any Unquoted at [7.8] on the off-chance that the Wenger boys catch fire and run in a few goals.

Who'll score them is a slightly harder affair to predict. As I said, I think Wenger will introduce the previously injured duo later but they may start so again, this might be one to get involved with nearer kick-off.

Robin van Persie will surely feature and is as short as [1.96] in the To Score list so, for a slightly increased return, take him to be First Goalscorer at [5.0]. Amongst other possible contenders, the laconic Nicklas Bendtner is [5.9], William Gallas [23.0] and Burnley top hitman Martin Paterson a [13.5] chance.

Draw/Arsenal all the way for me but football's a game of opinions. Make yours count with your selections!