LONDON. – Chelsea will be bidding for a fifth FA Cup success in nine years in their home game with third-tier Bradford City today in one of this weekend’s fourth-round matches.Jose Mourinho’s side also remain in contention for four trophies this season after drawing 1-1 at Liverpool in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Tuesday and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois says the players have no trouble switching their focus from competition to competition.

“At the moment we are playing well in all of the competitions,” the Belgium international told the club website.

“We’re in the semi-final (of the League Cup), we’re top of the league, on Saturday we have an important game in the FA Cup, which we have to win, and in the Champions League we will soon be playing Paris Saint-Germain, which will be hard.

“I think we have the team to win everything, but obviously there are other teams which can do the same.”

Resurgent Liverpool, unbeaten in nine games in all competitions, face a reunion with former striker Emile Heskey today when they welcome second-division Bolton Wanderers to Anfield.

The 37-year-old former England striker joined Bolton in December after a two-year spell with Australian club Newcastle Jets. “Emile has been fantastic since he walked through the door,” said Bolton manager Neil Lennon, whose side are currently 15th in the Championship.

“He had a bit to prove when he came back here and he’s doing that. There’s plenty of football left in him and he’s been a big bonus for us.”

Manchester City also face Championship opposition in the form of Middlesbrough, while there are two all-Premier League ties, with Southampton entertaining Crystal Palace and Leicester City visiting Tottenham Hotspur.

Holders Arsenal, meanwhile, will approach their trip to second-division Brighton and Hove Albion tomorrow with renewed vigour after an impressive 2-0 victory at Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend.

“For us the challenge is to turn up with the same spirit and show that we can be consistent with our attitude game by game,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

“In the FA Cup, God knows that is needed. We know that it will be another big challenge for us to go there and come home with a positive result.”

Wenger has revealed that German playmaker Mesut Ozil is likely to start at the Amex Stadium as he steps up his rehabilitation following a three-month absence with a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Niall Quinn believes Steve Bould has finally been given the opportunity to restructure Arsenal’s defence – and the north London club are now reaping the benefits.

The Gunners have lost just one of their last six Premier League fixtures and currently sit fifth in the table, one point off a Champions League spot.

Wenger’s side saw off Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon in one of their most impressive showings during the last few years.

And ex-Arsenal striker Quinn, who played with Bould during their time together at Sunderland, claims the assistant manager is behind the reversal of fortunes.

“When Steve Bould came to Sunderland he turned our dressing room inside out at the age of 36,” he told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast show.

“He played for two years with us and turned us into a team which finished in seventh in the Premier League table, two years in a row. He established this great defensive art between the young players who hadn’t learnt it before.

“He can bring that defensive stability Arsenal were always famous for. When you look back on the Arsenal teams over the years they have always been built on the likes of Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, George Graham and David O’Leary.

FA Cup Fourth Round Fixtures

Today (all 5pm GMT unless otherwise stated):
Birmingham City v West Bromwich Albion, Blackburn Rovers v Swansea City (2:45pm), Cardiff City v Reading, Chelsea v Bradford City, Derby County v Chesterfield, Liverpool v Bolton Wanderers (7:30pm), Manchester City v Middlesbrough, Preston North End v Sheffield United, Southampton v Crystal Palace, Sunderland v Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Tomorrow: Aston Villa v Bournemouth (5pm), Brighton and Hove Albion v Arsenal (6pm), Bristol City v West Ham United (4pm)
Monday (10pm): Rochdale v Stoke City. – AFP.

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