Arsenal and Manchester City set to rest star players in their FA Cup ties this weekend

Reserve judgement: Wenger and Pellegrini have bigger fish to fry than the FA Cup

Looming Champions League clashes with Bayern Munich and Barcelona have Wenger and Pellegrini ready to ring changes against Liverpool and Chelsea

Manuel Pellegrini and Arsene Wenger are ready to risk their FA Cup dreams this weekend to save players for the Champions League.

Manchester City boss Pellegrini is facing the first leg of a last-16 tie against visitors Barcelona on Tuesday, so is prepared to rest Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Alvaro Negredo for Saturday’s meeting with Chelsea at the Etihad.

With Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho both out injured, it will leave the Quadruple chasers desperately short for the grudge rematch against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, who beat them in the league last week.

It was reported earlier this week that Mourinho is also looking to excuse some of his big names from the tea-time clash, even though the west Londoners don't play in midweek.

Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Wenger - trophyless since 2005 - could be set to make six changes from the side that ground out a draw with Manchester United on Wednesday as he tries to revive his key men for Wednesday’s clash with European champions Bayern Munich.

Lukasz Fabianski will likely take over from Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with Lukas Podolski, Nicklas Bendtner, Mathieu Flamini, Nacho Monreal and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joining him in the Gunners’ starting line-up against Liverpool.

Wenger said: “We gave a lot against Manchester United and certainly for Sunday, I will have to make some changes. We will see how everybody recovers but we gave a lot.

“Now we have Flamini coming back from suspension and I will have to make some changes on top of him. But still, I think it’s a big game for us on Sunday and we want to win it.”

City could have Samir Nasri back, though.

The France midfielder is back in full training after six weeks out with medial knee ligament damage and says he feels fresh because of his lay-off.

“I’ve missed a month-and-a-half of competition, but it’s allowed me to recharge my batteries,” said the France midfielder.

Nasri also has his eyes on Tuesday’s showdown with Barcelona at the Etihad and insists Manuel Pellegrini’s side can win.

“With City, we’re still in four competitions with the aim of winning them and in the Champions League, we are going to have an exciting game against Barca,” he said.

“For me, they are more beatable than in the past and personally, I think we can knock them out. If our injured players are back, with a full team, I think we can beat them.”