Cup minnows face home or away Gunners poser

PART-TIMERS Farnborough face a tricky choice between fulfilling an FA Cup dream or accepting a financial windfall after being handed a glamour fourth-round tie against Premiership champions Arsenal.

The Conference outfit's reward for their 3-2 win at Darlington could hardly have been greater after they were pitched into battle with Arsene Wenger's multi-million pound squad in a clash which encapsulates all the traditions of the world's most famous cup competition. However, while their players can picture the moment they walk the same turf as Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and David Seaman, club owner and manager Graham Westley has a difficult choice to make.

Westley must decide whether to abandon realistic hope of giving the Gunners a game by switching the tie from the Hampshire club's 4,900-capacity Aimita Stadium to Highbury's hallowed walls, a move which could produce enough money to keep his team afloat for years. Club officials will discuss the matter with local police chiefs, although Hampshire Constabulary admit they cannot force Farnborough to move the tie if they are determined to play at home. "We would advise them if we thought it was not appropriate (to play the game at home) but we can't force them to move it," said the police in a statement. "Ultimately, it's a matter for the club if they choose to move the venue or not." Broadcasters BBC and BSkyB are almost certain to be interested in screening the tie, giving Westley another consideration to weigh up. However, first he must bring his players back down to earth for Saturday's FA Trophy trip to Eastbourne Borough. "My job has been made easier by what's happened today," said Westley. "We won't reach the promotion play-offs without good performances and they will all be playing for shirts between then and now.

"Arsene must have known we were coming up because he rested Thierry Henry at the weekend." Westley added: "On the day, there will be 11 players from both sides on the pitch, but if our players look at them as superstars we may as well give them the tie now.

"The dangers for Arsenal are thinking they have an easy passage into the next round and underestimating us."

The club may conceded home ground but Southampton's St Mary's Stadium or Reading's Madejski Stadium could be possibilities. Westley added that the issue will be considered "in the days ahead" but is confident that his players will be able to keep their feet on the ground for what will be a huge occasion. He said: "Getting them to concentrate now should be very easy because there is something very big to play for."

Shrewsbury have the chance to follow up their stunning success over Everton with another Premiership scalp after being paired with Chelsea. Everton went down 2-1 to the Shrews on Saturday and Chelsea are unlikely to relish the prospect of being the next top flight club to visit Gay Meadow.

Shrews boss Kevin Ratcliffe said: "Rochdale got pulled out a few before us at home and we thought we were going to play them we didn't really need that. But our name came out the hat first and you are thinking the big boys are still in there and we got one, which is nice. I thought if we got a Premiership club this time we'd like to play them away but we'll get a full house for this one. We've gone further than we anticipated so anything now is a big, big bonus." Three Premiership sides are certain to be eliminated in the fourth round. Blackburn will take on either Sunderland or Bolton,

Fulham face a visit from Charlton and Man United will tackle West Ham.

The pick of three all-Premiership ties is West Ham's visit to Old Trafford to face a United side they famously dumped out at the same stage of the competition two years ago when Fabien Barthez tried to trick Paolo di Canio out of firing home the winner. "It's a home draw, which is the first thing you hope for," said Ferguson. West Ham knocked us out two years ago so we know it'll be difficult."