Teams: Petr Cech starts in strong Arsenal team to face Sunderland in the FA Cup

ARSENE WENGER has selected a strong Arsenal team for their FA Cup clash with Sunderland this afternoon.

 

Petr Cech will start for Arsenal after David Ospina picked up a groin injury

 

Petr Cech starts in goal, with David Ospina - expected to start - missing out because of a groin problem, and 19-year-old Nigerian Alex Iwobi will make only his second start for the Gunners in midfield.

Iwobi and Cech are two of five changes to the Arsenal team that started last week's 1-0 win over Newcastle in the Premier League.

Kieran Gibbs replaces Nacho Monreal at left-back and Gabriel will partner Laurent Koscielny at the heart of Arsenal's back four, with German centre back Per Mertesacker not featuring in the squad at all.

 

Mesut Ozil has been rested and is not included on the bench, with Callum Chambers starting in midfield.

Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell completes a dangerous front three with Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott leading the line.

Jordan Pickford will make his Sunderland debut at the Emirates as one of seven changes the Blacks Cats have made from their 3-1 win over Aston Villa last weekend.

 

Sam Allardyce has touted the 21-year-old keeper as a future England international and the Sunderland boss has also given Jeremain Lens another opportunity, after the Dutch winger was dropped for poor discipline last month.

Danny Graham, Ola Toivonen, Sebastian Coates, Steven Fletcher and DeAndre Yeldin all come into the side as the Black Cats chase an unlikely cup win in the capital.

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Gabriel, Koscielny, Gibbs, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chambers, Iwobi, Walcott, Campbell, Giroud

Subs: Macey, Debuchy, Arteta, Ramsey, Monreal, Reine-Adelaide, Willock

Sunderland: Pickford, van Aanholt, Cattermole, O'Shea (c), Lens, Graham, Toivonen, Coates, Fletcher, Yedlin, Watmore

Subs: Mannone, Jones, Borini, Defoe, M'Vila, Mavrias, Beadling