Man United face Newcastle in FA semis
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-15 09:11

Holders Manchester United will take on Newcastle United and champions Arsenal face Blackburn Rovers in next month's FA Cup semi-finals in Cardiff.

The FA Cup trophy. Holders Manchester United and arch-rivals Arsenal were kept apart when the draw for the semi-finals of the FA Cup was made. [AFP]

Monday's draw pitted Manchester United against a Newcastle side who have won their last seven matches in all competitions and dumped runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea out of the competition in the fifth round.

Alex Ferguson's men are also in sparkling form in domestic football, however, cruising to a 4-0 rout of Southampton in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Arsenal, who beat Bolton Wanderers 1-0 in the last round, will fancy their chances against a Blackburn side struggling to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Blackburn have not beaten Arsenal for two years and are playing their first FA Cup semi-final since 1960.

The draw maintains the prospect of a final between Arsenal and Manchester United, who trail Chelsea by 10 and eight points respectively in the Premier League and were both knocked out of the Champions League last week.

The semi-finals will be played on April 16 and 17 at the Millennium Stadium, which will also host the final on May 21.

Arsenal have been installed as 6-5 favourites by bookmaker Williams Hill, with Manchester United at 11-8, Newcastle 5-1 and Blackburn 12-1.

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