Fasten your seatbelts - United boss tips feisty clash with Arsenal

Back then, the rookie United manager was simply looking for some stability. These days he has another treble in mind.

• Fergie's FA Cup highs and lows as he notches up 100 ties

Even so, it will be the pragmatist rather than the romantic who picks his team today. With a Champions League tie in Lyon to come on Wednesday, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes and Carlos Tevez will sweat on their places this afternoon.

But the presence of Arsenal will curdle the manager's blood a little and regardless of the personnel, the fifth FA Cup meeting of the Ferguson-Arsene Wenger era — the head-to-head stands at 2-2 — promises to be the highlight of a rather plain-looking fifth round.

For Ferguson, there are mixed memories.

The Scot rates the 1999 Villa Park semi-final replay victory as among his finest United moments, while the 1-0 dismantling of Wenger's team at the same stage and on the same ground four years ago was a performance of rare vintage.

But a defeat at Old Trafford the previous year saw David Beckham's forehead feel the force of a flying football boot and United somehow managed to lose a final they dominated in Cardiff in 2005.

A mutual enmity has dominated much of this soap opera — between the players as well as their managers. Today, with the major figures different and a little younger, the football may be allowed to take centre stage.

Ferguson said: "Things have changed a bit now, so maybe the game will be a little less fractious than previous ones. There certainly was a period when Arsenal couldn't be tackled and couldn't accept being tackled. But we are different teams now.

"Having said that, I think this will be a normal Manchester United- Arsenal game — feisty, competitive and full of football because both teams play good football.

"I know that in the 20-odd years I have been here, Manchester United and Arsenal are the two clubs who have competed most consistently for trophies. From my own perspective I was up against first George Graham and then Arsene Wenger.

"Someone told me the other day that this is my 100th FA Cup tie and the 1999 semi-final replay (United won 2-1 after extra-time) sticks out as the best.

"I watched it on video three months ago. It was a fantastic game. The chances both teams had in the tie were amazing. There were penalty kicks, deflected goals, Roy Keane sent off when he never touched their player.

"It was a marvellous game. Villa Park is a great venue for semi-finals and we've had great joy there. It has a great atmosphere for these occasions. And here we are again. This is another Manchester United-Arsenal game. Fasten your seatbelts."

With Ferguson desperate to make up a five-point deficit in the Barclays Premier League and to see his team impose itself on Europe again, the FA Cup is a poor third on his priority list.

But for once it would be wrong to chastise him for leaving out players today. It is easy to accuse a manager of 'belittling' a competition but to play his best team today would represent poor management and a disregard of his football club's real needs.

If the fixture planners place such a prestige domestic weekend ahead of the return of Champions League football, this is what you get.

Ferguson added: "I think there will be changes for both teams. We've got Lyon, Arsenal have AC Milan. 'You cannot put your strongest squad out every week, it is impossible — forget that idea.

"That is why we have squads of 22. The days when Liverpool could win the league with 14 players are over."

Ferguson has privately been surprised by Arsenal's consistency this season but not by their potency.

He marvelled yesterday at Emmanuel Adebayor's record of scoring in his last nine games but recognised a long time ago that the departed Thierry Henry was poisoning Arsenal from the inside.

Ferguson would not say as much, of course, but he did nod yesterday towards the dangers presented by the modern Gunners.

He said: "Arsenal might be a more compact team than when they had Thierry Henry in their side; they were more about individuals then.

"They looked to Henry as the player, whereas now they are more solid. Adebayor's height and physique make a difference.

"When we played them last season they were knocking long balls up to him and Arsene Wenger says his physical presence has made a big difference to the team.

"We have seen big centre forwards over the years whose main attribute was heading a ball but Adebayor has a lot more than that."

Praise indeed from Ferguson. But, as always, there was a rider.

"Adebayor has scored nine games in a row now," he reflected. "He is the form player. But I wouldn't swap him for Ronaldo."

FERGIE REACHES HIS FA CUP TON

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be taking charge of his 100th FA Cup tie when Arsenal are the fifth-round visitors to Old Trafford this afternoon.

Overall record: won 67, drawn 17, lost 15. First tie: Rnd 3 (Jan 1987): United 1 Manchester City 0

Final wins — 1990 (replay): United 1 Palace 0 (first game 3-3)

1994: United 4 Chelsea 0

1996: United 1 Liverpool 0

1999: United 2 Newcastle 0

2004: United 3 Millwall 0

Losses:

1995: Everton 1 United 0

2005: Arsenal 0 United 0 (Arsenal won 5-4 on pens)

2007: Chelsea 1 United 0