FA Cup semi-final dates announced

Arsenal’s FA Cup semi-final against Blackburn will kick off at 12.15pm on Saturday, April 16 while the other semi between Newcastle and Manchester United has a 2pm start on the following day.

Both ties are being held at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and Newcastle’s progress to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals means their game has to be on the Sunday because the Magpies will have been involved in a European match on the previous Thursday night.