The dangers of a rare romance

Guy Hodgson on the duels that will decide tomorrow's FA Cup semi- finals

The semi-final is the cruel round of the FA Cup. Win and Wembley beckons, lose and the match becomes a high tide mark in the minds of your supporters and nothing to anybody else. Few neutrals remember who fell just short of the twin towers.

Last year Jurgen Klinsmann had the final he yearned to crown a year at Tottenham snatched away from him by Everton, the year before the lesser lights of Luton and Oldham crashed against the rocks of Chelsea and Manchester United. There is romance in the Cup - but it does not always woo where the uncommitted heart would like it.

Which is a warning for those who want to see Ruud Gullit and Chelsea prevail tomorrow. A head of wishful steam has been building up in the hope that the Dutch master will embellish the embers of his career with an appearance at Wembley. The problem is that he is facing the team which has a knack of winning semi-finals: Manchester United.

Between 1962 and 1970 United teams which could boast the talents of Best, Law and Charlton reached six FA Cup semi-finals and won only one, but since they have a perfect record: eight played, eight won. Add the fact that Eric Cantona has hit a rich scoring vein and the scale of Chelsea's problem at Villa Park can be appreciated.

"United are on a good run," Glenn Hoddle, the Chelsea manager, conceded, "but it's all about who feels good on the day. It's a 1.30pm kick off and we lose an hour because the clocks go forward. It's how your body feels and whether your minds are right. Our minds have got to be spot on."

Last time the teams met in the Cup Chelsea lost 4-0 in the final, a defeat felt profoundly at Stamford Bridge because the margin and the manner (two penalties) rankled. Mark Hughes, who is expected to shake off a calf injury, was among the United scorers that day but, having moved to the capital last summer, his duel with his erstwhile colleague, Steve Bruce, will almost be as compelling as the Cantona-Gullit confrontation.

"We all know Mark was a fantastic player for us," Bruce said, "and if there's any one who will be revved up for the semi-final it's him. He was liked by everybody here, not just the supporters but by the lads in the dressing-room. I'm sure he'll want to put one over us but he'll be in for a tough game as well."

United's line-up will be dictated by the availability of Phil Neville and Denis Irwin, both of whom are doubtful. If necessary, Lee Sharpe will deputise at left-back, with David Beckham returning on the right flank.

The last time Aston Villa met Liverpool, the match was over as a contest within 10 minutes as the Merseysiders took a 3-0 lead at Anfield barely before the visitors had broken into a sweat.

An indication that their minds might have been on other things was revealed in the last seconds, however, when Ugo Ehiogu apparently set out to get booked to ensure he did not miss the Coca-Cola Cup final. Having won the first major trophy of the season last Sunday against Leeds, their attention should be better tomorrow at Old Trafford.

Certainly Ehiogu believes so, saying: "I think it helps that we've already won the Coca-Cola Cup, because it means we should be a bit more relaxed. We've already qualified for Europe so in that respect the onus is on Liverpool. They have done us twice this season, so it would be nice to get revenge. We're not going to be dwelling on last Sunday, and nobody will be thinking that we've done our bit for the season now."

In direct opposition to Ehiogu will be Stan Collymore, and while there are those who would appreciate the paradox if Mark Hughes was to score the winner against Manchester United, there would also be an undertone if the Liverpool striker sank Villa.

Collymore supported Villa as a boy, going to his first match at six, and if he had envisaged being the next anyone it was not a Liverpool striker but Gary Shaw. "He was everything I wanted to be," he said. "He scored goals, he was exciting, he was skilful,and he stood out with his blonde hair." Everything, give or take a peroxide rinse, that Collymore is now.