We’re gunning for FA Cup again, says Coquelin

Francis Coquelin (l): Affinity with the FA Cup

Francis Coquelin (l): Affinity with the FA Cup

Midfield enforcer Francis Coquelin says that Arsenal are gunning for a third straight FA Cup triumph this season.

Coquelin, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, says he is “still hungry” for FA Cup glory after playing in last season’s 4-0 final win over Aston Villa.

The 24-year-old helped the Gunners retain the trophy and has set his sights on a third straight triumph – a feat that has not been achieved since the 1880s when Blackburn Rovers won the famous trophy three years in a row.

Coquelin, who is set to return in around six weeks time, is hoping Arsenal can get past Sunderland in the third round this weekend and still be in the competition when he returns to first-team action.

“It was my first major trophy with the club so I don’t want to sleep on this,” he told the Arsenal Weekly podcast. “I’m still hungry, even hungrier, and I want more, like everyone else at the club. The players are really stepping up and really want this silverware.

“It was a great moment but you need a little bit of the magic of the FA Cup to come back before the memories come back. When it does start, people will be looking at the pictures of themselves with the trophies and thinking that we need to hold it for a third time.

“What is nice is that the first round of the competition is at home and that’s great for the fans. It’s always going to be tough against Sunderland. They gave us a difficult game a couple of weeks ago, so we know it will be tough.

“They’re going to want to beat the champions as well, so they will be really, really motivated and beating us could give them a boost in their season as well. Everyone will be prepared for it.

“I don’t know if anyone’s ever held the FA Cup three times in a row before but it would mean something big for the club. We want to win any trophy so if we can get this one, we will.”