Arsenal cup date fixed

Gianfranco Zola is more than up for a FA Cup derby meeting with Arsenal after the third-round tie was fixed for 4.15pm on Sunday 3 January 2010.

The glamour tie at the Boleyn Ground has already had supporters snapping up tickets for the first match of the new year - which will be shown live on ITV1. Zola said the derby was one that would capture the imagination and was not worried about facing fellow top-flight opponents so early in the competition.

"This is a big month with some big games and that will continue in the new year with the FA Cup third round," he said. "We have drawn Arsenal, which will get a lot of attention. Maybe we could have been luckier with the draw, but there are no complaints.

"We will deal with it and they will not want to have been drawn against us either. We are at home and we have the chance to go one better after drawing against them in the league here earlier this season. It will be tough but we have to be tougher than them."

Season ticket holders have until Friday evening to secure their seat, before the sale is opened up to club members.