Almunia in for Gunners

As promised, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger included an Englishman in his FA Cup fifth-round line-up against Sheffield United at Highbury.

Wenger also made wholesale changes to the side which thrashed Crystal Palace in the Barclays Premiership on Monday.

Manuel Almunia was selected in goal ahead of Jens Lehmann for his first FA Cup appearance of the season with Englishman Stuart Taylor on the bench as his reserve.

Wenger also brought in Freddie Ljungberg in place of Robert Pires, who dropped to the bench, and Phillipe Senderos was preferred to Pascal Cygan at the heart of the defence.

Emmanuel Eboue, Robin van Persie, Mathieu Flamini, Francesc Fabregas and Jose Antonio Reyes were also included in the starting line-up.

Arsenal rested Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry while Sol Campbell (ankle), Ashley Cole (flu) and Edu (hamstring) all missed out.

Sheffield United also made a number of changes with the enforced absence of Chris Morgan, sent off in the victory over West Ham in the fourth-round replay last week.

Phil Jagielka dropped into the defence to replace him while Neil Warnock added Derek Geary and Paul Thirlwell to the starting line-up. Former Arsenal striker Paul Shaw dropped to the bench.

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Eboue, Fredrik Ljungberg, Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Jose Reyes, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie. Subs: Stuart Taylor, Robert Pires, Pascal Cygan, Sebastian Larsson, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.

Sheffield Utd: Paddy Kenny, Danny Cullip, Leigh Bromby, Derek Geary, Andy Gray, Jon Harley, Nick Montgomery, Phil Jagielka, Paul Thirlwell, Michael Tonge, Andy Liddell. Subs: Danny Cadamarteri, Alan Quinn, Simon Francis, Jonathan Forte, Paul Shaw.