The Gunners, rampaging up the Premier League table, have not lost to a lower-league side since 1999, though Brendan Rodgers faces a trickier test against a resurgent Aston Villa.
Come May 30, Wembley Stadium will be decorated entirely in red. That is the assumption, at least. Arsenal, so imperious in recent months and on a run of eight straight league victories, ought to steamroller a Reading side still not mathematically assured of safety in the Championship, while Liverpool are heavy favourites to overcome an Aston Villa team yet to escape a relation dogfight of their own.
Some consider the semi-finals – which have handily kept the two remaining Premier League giants apart – such a foregone conclusion that, rather than consider the prospect of a dual giant-killing, are instead looking further ahead, preoccupied with potential narratives. Can Arsenal retain the FA Cup for the second time, a double-double only three other teams have achieved? Can Liverpool stop the Gunners from becoming the cup’s outright most successful team? Will Steven Gerrard get a fairy-tale send-off?
Based on their current form in 2015, it has hard to see either Liverpool or Arsenal being denied a 15th and 19th FA Cup final appearance respectively. Arsene Wenger’s team are unstoppable at present, recording the longest winning streak seen in the Premier League this season – and, particularly unluckily for Reading, the north Londoners have been near-flawless against the sides below them.
In fact, no team has picked up more points against bottom-half teams than the Gunners, an incredible 2.65 per game. They have yet to lose against a side they should, unequivocally, beat – save, perhaps, for away defeats to Swansea and Stoke, and a humbling at home to Monaco. Nevertheless, that rather spells disaster for a side ranked 36 places below them. Reading, and teams of their ilk, have been chewed up and spat out by this Arsenal side.
credit:goal.com
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