Keown declared fit for Cup Final

Holders Arsenal’s defensive worries were eased slightly when Martin Keown was deemed fit to play and took his place alongside Oleg Luzhny in the centre of the Gunners’ back four for today’s FA Cup final against Southampton at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

The Arsenal line-up, lacking an injured Patrick Vieira and suspended Sol Campbell, otherwise took on a familiar look with goalkeeper David Seaman captaining the team with Gilberto Silva and Ray Parlour the axis in central midfield.

Dennis Bergkamp was paired with star striker Thierry Henry up front.

Gordon Strachan took a gamble by picking rookie right-back Chris Baird, with only three Premiership starts under his belt, to counteract the threat of the mercurial Robert Pires.

Baird played in the Saints’ last two league matches, including that 6-1 hammering at Highbury, and his inclusion pushed Paul Telfer into a more advanced right-midfield berth with Chris Marsden recovered from a knee injury which kept him out of last Sunday’s game at Manchester City.

But there was heartbreak for goalkeeper Paul Jones, who played last weekend, as Strachan recalled first-choice Antti Niemi after he overcame a jarred knee.

Arsenal: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Luzhny, Cole, Pires, Parlour, Silva, Ljungberg, Henry, Bergkamp.

Subs: Wiltord, Taylor, Kanu, Toure, van Bronckhorst.

Southampton: Niemi, Baird, Lundekvam, Michael Svensson, Bridge, Telfer, Oakley, Anders Svensson, Marsden, Ormerod, Beattie.

Subs: Jones, Williams, Higginbotham, Tessem, Fernandes.

Referee: G Barber (Hertfordshire)