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LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal are heavy favourites to win their first major trophy for six years when they face Premier League strugglers Birmingham City in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Their last silverware of note came in the 2005 FA Cup, a relative drought for a side who became accustomed to glory in the first six seasons of manager Arsene Wenger's tenure.
"I don't know if not winning a trophy for a few years puts more pressure on us or not," Wenger said. "All I do know is that when you go into a final you desperately want to win it."
Arsenal, who will be without injured captain Cesc Fabregas and winger Theo Walcott, have beaten Birmingham twice in the league this season and have not lost to them in eight meetings.
Birmingham, in 16th place in the league two points above the drop zone, are bidding to claim their first major silverware since they won the League Cup for the only time in 1963.
However, manager Alex McLeish has tasted plenty of success before on the big stage having won a host of league title and cups when in charge of Rangers in Scotland.
"All I look for and all I can ask of my players is to give me individually first and foremost real assured performance levels and then we have a chance if we come together as a team and every individual gives their all," he told the club website (www.bcfc.com).
(Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Ken Ferris
To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Their last silverware of note came in the 2005 FA Cup, a relative drought for a side who became accustomed to glory in the first six seasons of manager Arsene Wenger's tenure.
"I don't know if not winning a trophy for a few years puts more pressure on us or not," Wenger said. "All I do know is that when you go into a final you desperately want to win it."
Arsenal, who will be without injured captain Cesc Fabregas and winger Theo Walcott, have beaten Birmingham twice in the league this season and have not lost to them in eight meetings.
Birmingham, in 16th place in the league two points above the drop zone, are bidding to claim their first major silverware since they won the League Cup for the only time in 1963.
However, manager Alex McLeish has tasted plenty of success before on the big stage having won a host of league title and cups when in charge of Rangers in Scotland.
"All I look for and all I can ask of my players is to give me individually first and foremost real assured performance levels and then we have a chance if we come together as a team and every individual gives their all," he told the club website (www.bcfc.com).
(Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Ken Ferris
To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
Powered By WizardRSS - Full Text RSS Feeds
