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FA Cup sixth round: Lincoln may face Sutton, Chelsea host Manchester United

Danny Cowley
Lincoln City’s manager, Danny Cowley, said it was “surreal” that his side will face Sutton United or Arsenal in the sixth round. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Non-league Lincoln City will travel to Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-finals if the Premier League team overcome Sutton United on Monday night. Sunday night’s draw provided three other intriguing ties, with the League One side Millwall pitted against Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea hosting Manchester United and Middlesbrough to play either Huddersfield Town or Manchester City.

However, the advances of both Lincoln and Sutton have provided the most compelling stories in the competition this season. Arsenal face a tricky match at Gander Green Lane only days after their humbling defeat at Bayern Munich and, if they progress as expected, then another non-league side lie in wait.

The Lincoln manager, Danny Cowley, said after watching the draw from Sincil Bank: “You never know in football. It’s a great draw. We wish Sutton all the best and genuinely hope they can do it. If not, then we will obviously play Arsenal. It’s completely surreal.

“For us it’s a win-win. We either play Sutton for the opportunity to be in the semi-finals of the FA Cup or we have a fantastic tie away at Arsenal. It’s completely surreal. I feel like I’m going to wake up at any moment. It’s incredible but the players deserve this. It’s them that have carried us.”

In what promises to be the most fiery game of the last eight, Spurs and Millwall will meet at White Hart Lane in the first fixture between the two clubs since 1990. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will play Aitor Karanka’s Boro at the Riverside if they beat Huddersfield in a replay, while José Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge for Manchester United’s tie at Chelsea following Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late winner against Blackburn Rovers.

Ibrahimovic has now scored in domestic cup competitions in England, Italy, Spain and France and Mourinho will be hoping the Swede is still in good form by 10-13 March, when the quarter-finals will be played.

Mourinho, who revealed that Wayne Rooney was struggling to be fit for the League Cup final against Southampton on Sunday, praised his side’s display at Blackburn but remained concerned about a potential fixture pile-up before the Cup game at Chelsea.

Asked about the draw, Mourinho said: “No reaction, I have to play St-Étienne, I have to play the final, I have to play hopefully another opponent in the Europa League. I have to fight for a top-four position in the Premier League. I have so many things to think about, probably Chelsea can think only about that because I think they are champions and have nothing else to play for. So the FA Cup I believe is something important for them.”

FA Cup sixth round draw

Chelsea v Manchester United

Middlesbrough v Huddersfield or Manchester City

Tottenham v Millwall

Sutton or Arsenal v Lincoln

• Matches to be played on weekend of 10-13 March