Arsenal and Chelsea plot all-London FA Cup final

Arsenal and Chelsea are favourites to set up the first-all London FA Cup final for 20 years when they tackle Middlesbrough and Fulham respectively in the semifinals this weekend.

Tottenham Hotspur's replay win over Queens Park Rangers in 1982 was the last time two London teams reached the final.

But with three sides in the last four this time it seems likely the road to Cardiff on May 4 will be clogged with fans from the capital.

Arsenal, finalists last year and eyeing a second league and FA Cup double in five seasons, have already beaten Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough home and away this campaign.

But that was before Middlesbrough's recent surge away from the relegation zone and the game at Old Trafford -- where Middlesbrough won 1-0 against Manchester United last month -- is likely to be tight.

After a season riddled with injury problems, Arsenal are pretty well at full strength, with England left-back Ashley Cole likely to be fit to play, although Robert Pires's absence due to his knee injury inevitably reduces their creative options.

As befits potential champions, Arsene Wenger's side have hit form at the just the right stage of the season.

BERGKAMP'S MOTIVATION

With 31-goal Thierry Henry and Dutch genius Dennis Bergkamp outstanding in recent games, they have eight straight league victories behind them and will take some stopping.

Another good omen for the Highbury side, who knocked out Middlesbrough's north-east rivals Newcastle in the quarter-finals, is that they eliminated Middlesbrough in round four en route to winning the FA Cup in 1998.

Bergkamp, who missed that final and played only a bit-part role last season, is extra keen to win on Sunday.

"It is a special competition," he said. "This cup competition is not only big in England but also throughout the whole world."

No longer haunted by relegation, Middlesbrough can afford to play with freedom as they continue their bid to win the first major trophy in their 127-year history.

The only problem for McClaren is that he will be without half his team. Italian livewire Benito Carbone is ineligible, midfield engine Paul Ince is suspended, striker Noel Whelan is injured and Croatian frontman Alen Boksic is doubtful.

Fans of Chelsea and Fulham must make the long trip to Villa Park in Birmingham for their match but, as with the other semifinal, there is no doubt which of the sides is stronger on paper.

Like Middlesbrough, Fulham have not won a single major honour in over a century of trying and only once reached a major cup final -- losing the 1975 FA Cup showpiece 2-0 to West Ham United.

FULHAM PRAYERS

When they were first formed in 1879, they were known as Fulham St Andrew's Church Sunday School FC, thankfully shortened to Fulham in 1888.

Form suggests they do not have a prayer against their more illustrious neighbours Chelsea on Sunday but optimism is not something owner Mohamed Al Fayed is short of.

"I still want to make Fulham the Manchester United of the south," he said this week.

Winless in nine games, Jean Tigana's fluid but toothless side are only likely to avoid relegation this season due to the failings of others.

Chelsea still have two routes into Europe open to them -- the UEFA Cup if they win the FA Cup and the Champions League if they can pip Newcastle and Leeds to fourth place in the premier league.

Claudio Ranieri's club would fancy a final against Middlesbrough, the team they beat to win the 1997 FA Cup.

Chelsea also won the competition in 2000 and their pedigree in knockout football is unquestionable.

With Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fronting an attack bursting with goals, Fulham will have their work cut out keeping the score down.

Ranieri is hopeful Graeme Le Saux, Celestine Babayaro, Jesper Gronkjaer and William Gallas will all be fit.