Arsenal vs. Blackburn: 4 Key Battles to Watch in FA Cup 5th Round Tie

Although Arsenal and Blackburn Rovers are now separated by a division, there remains a strong rivalry between the two clubs.

The odds are firmly in Arsenal's favour, although Blackburn fans will be hopeful of pulling off a major upset at the Emirates Stadium.

If they are to do that, they'll need to win four key battles. Go to the next slide to see who is going head-to-head in this crucial FA Cup tie.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain vs. Martin Olsson

Arsene Wenger may look to rest one or two key players with a tie against Bayern Munich looming just a few days later. One of the beneficiaries of this policy could be Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

This season, the English winger has struggled to emulate the impact he made in his first campaign with the club.

Things won't get any easier for him on Saturday when he comes up against Blackburn's Swedish full-back Martin Olsson.

Against most defenders, Oxlade-Chamberlain is able to rely on his explosive pace. However, Olsson is just as quick as Oxlade-Chamberlain, if not quicker.

The Arsenal man will need to use every trick he has at his disposal to get beyond the Blackburn defender.

Per Mertesacker vs. Jordan Rhodes

Jordan Rhodes is arguably the best finisher outside the Premier League. In his first season at Blackburn, he has already amassed an impressive 20 Championship goals.

His movement and physicality will provide a real test for Per Mertesacker. The German is likely to be called upon again at centre-back, with injury doubts over Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny.

Rhodes' uncompromising style will be a shock for Mertesacker. The German was in good form in Arsenal's win at Sunderland, and he will need to replicate that sort of battling display to ensure Arsenal get through to the next round of the FA Cup.

If Blackburn are to get anything at the Emirates, Rhodes is the man most likely to do the damage.

Mikel Arteta vs. Danny Murphy

The match between Arsenal and Blackburn will see two of the wisest midfield playmakers around come head-to-head.

Mikel Arteta has established himself as the metronomic heartbeat of the Arsenal side. Playing in a deeper role than last season, he patrols the area between midfield and defence expertly.

At 35, Danny Murphy is still going strong. His vision and intelligence is key to Blackburn's approach play.

Whichever of these two midfielders is allowed to get on the ball most frequently could define the result of this match.

Nacho Monreal vs. Colin Kazim-Richards

Nacho Monreal has had a good start to his Arsenal career. In 180 minutes of action, the Arsenal defence are yet to concede a goal.

He will be sorely tested by Colin Kazim-Richards of Blackburn. The journeyman winger has returned to English football and established himself as one of Blackburn's most dangerous players.

Monreal had a few tricky moments against Stephane Sessegnon of Sunderland, and Kazim-Richards is arguably even quicker than the Frenchman.

Blackburn will be eager to exploit any weakness in Monreal as he continues his adaptation to English football.

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What do you think? Who will be the winners and losers in these key battles? Can Blackburn cause an upset and dump Arsenal out of the FA Cup?