Manager would ‘love’ Arsenal in FA Cup draw

After pulling off a huge upset against League One Bristol Rovers, National League side Boreham Wood are in the draw for the FA Cup third round on Monday night.

Arsenal also join the competition at this stage, as we’re down to the final 64 clubs in the tournament. Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard is hoping to draw the Gunners in the next round.

“I would love it if we were drawn to play against Arsenal at the Emirates,” Garrard said. “I’m an Arsenal fan and I live in North London and we’ve got lots of ties with the club.

“It really would be a dream come true for me to face Arsenal and be alongside Mikel Arteta on the sidelines.

“He is doing a fantastic job and if we did come up against each other I’m sure I wouldn’t watch the game because I’d just be stood there admiring him.”

Considering Boreham Wood are the lowest-ranked team still in the competition, sitting 11th in the National League, Arsenal probably wouldn’t mind drawing them either.

As well as the footballing advantage the Gunners would have over their opponents, it’s true that there are a lot of links between the two clubs.

The Arsenal Women often play at Boreham Wood’s home ground – Meadow Park – as do the Arsenal u21s.

Arsenal and Boreham Wood have played a number of friendlies against each other in the past, and the Gunners have invested money in Boreham Wood’s ground improvements.

A game away at Meadow Park would be the perfect opportunity for Arteta to give chances to one or two youth players, who have played on that pitch many times before.

But the odds of drawing Boreham Wood in Monday night’s draw are only one in 63, so I wouldn’t get too excited yet.