There are plenty of examples of how football has become utterly dominated by the size of check book. But it will be in sharp focus on Monday when Arsenal travel to little Sutton United in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
This is only the second time a non-league team has faced a Premier League outfit in the cup since Crawley were admirable in a 1-0 defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2011. Luton won away at Norwich the year.
But money is one again the difference between Crawley and Luton and tiny Sutton. Those two, relatively, had pots of the stuff for the level they were at.
Sutton have been criticized this week for changing their sponsor to The Sun. Crawley Town did the same. The reason for this is that Liverpool have decided to ban The Sun reporters for the paper’s disgusting coverage of the Hillsborough tragedy.
Apparently, Sutton should have the moral fortitude to say ‘no thanks’ to Murdoch’s money. Liverpool, Arsenal and the rest, however, are perfectly entitled to gorge themselves stupid at his glutinous top table. Football, eh, makes you sick doesn’t it?
It would be great if Sutton could give Arsenal a bloody nose here. But the traditional ‘great leveller’ is not in evidence. The pitch might have to be a mud bath in days of yore but the hosts play on a plastic surface and they could be cut to ribbons by Arsenal’s slick passing.
Arsene Wenger is under huge pressure after the poor showing in the Champions League in the week. But we don’t quite get the misery surrounding Arsenal. They are remarkably consistent – they always finish in the top four, they’ve won this competition twice in the last two years, they always go out at about this stage in Europe to classier oppo. And they don’t spend any money.
No doubt Arsenal will rest key men – although for what given their interest in Europe is about to end. They did so against Southampton and won 5-0.
And that is the sort of scoreline we are looking at here, which is available at 19 (Skybet). We will be backing 3-0 and 4-0 as well at 8 and 11 respectively with Paddy Power and other green listed bookmakers.
If you want to go big on something shorter – we’re talking cleaning out the wallet style – the 1.62 on Arsenal on the double result with Paddy Power might be your bag.
Calculators
