Sutton boss Paul Doswell: We've no chance against Arsenal first team

Paul Doswell is preparing his team to face Sutton. Credit: PA

Sutton manager Paul Doswell has admitted Arsene Wenger must field a severely weakened team if his non-league outfit are to have any chance of beating Arsenal and providing the biggest upset in FA Cup history.

Arsenal will travel to Sutton on Monday night for the concluding fixture of a fifth round which has already seen several upsets.

Lincoln, also in the National League, booked their spot in the quarter-finals with a giant-killing 1-0 victory over top-flight Burnley while League One Millwall knocked out Premier League champions Leicester.

In the last round, Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were among the Arsenal starters against Southampton as the Gunners cruised to a 5-0 victory.

And Doswell, despite Arsenal's recent slump in results, has written off his team's chances if Wenger fields a similar starting line-up on Monday.

"If he plays the team that beat Southampton 5-0 in the last round, then that would hammer us," said Doswell.

"I think if you see Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez on the team sheet, our chance doesn't come beyond nought. But if they put another team out then it does get up to the ones and two per cents.

"Our only chance is if he puts out an Under-23 reserve side out because National League sides can compete against academy players. Then we would have a real chance."

Wenger's under-fire Arsenal team head to Gander Green Lane just five days after their miserable second-half showing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, which resulted in a 5-1 loss.

And Doswell, who will present Wenger with a £300 bottle of red wine on Monday, believes a draw against Arsenal will rank among the greatest shocks in the world's oldest club competition.

"The best result for the players would be a 0-0," added Doswell. "If we were to get a draw and we could get back to the Emirates Stadium it would be one of the biggest results in the cup's history and for the players.

"I think half of my team support Arsenal, so the chance for them to go to the Emirates and just have a great day out would be their preferred result."