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 [ Images ] out of the competition in the fifth round.

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

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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 [ Images ] 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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