Under-fire Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made his players train on an artificial pitch in a bid to avoid an upset as the club prepares to face the U’s.

3G surfaces are banned from the Football League, but they are allowed in all rounds of the FA Cup following a ruling in March 2014.

Leeds United, AFC Wimbledon and Cheltenham all failed to secure a win at Gander Green Lane and if Arsenal are dumped out of the competition by Sutton Unitedmore pressure will mount on the Frenchman.

Wenger’s 20-year tenure with the Gunners has come under scrutiny following a 5-1 thrashing at Bayern Munich in the Champions League last week followed two defeats in three Premiership games have effectively ending European and domestic title hopes.

The FA Cup now appears to be Arsenal’s best chance of winning silverware this season and Wenger has left nothing to chance in his preparations.

When asked what dangers the club face the 67-year-old said: “First of all the pitch.

"Secondly their enthusiasm and thirdly that we are not ready for a big fight and subconsciously think that they are a non-league team and it is no matter - but that will not happen.

"Ideally we would like to play on a normal pitch but it has been accepted and the competition is to deal with what you face. We will face an unusual pitch and we will have to deal with it.

"We will practise inside because it is an artificial pitch. It is not the same because it is a dry pitch and Sutton I have heard have a wet pitch which they water before the game and is quicker.

"The weight on the joints is different and you cannot slide to block every time so it makes football a bit different. The ball comes to you suddenly and accelerates and does not slow down like in a normal game, so we have to get used to the different speed."

He added he would name a “normal team” for fifth-round clash.

Sutton United manager Paul Doswell said: “If he plays the team that beat Southampton 5-0 in the last round, then that would hammer us.

"I think if you see Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez on the team sheet, our chance doesn't come beyond nought. But if they put another team out then it does get up to the one and two per cents.

"Our only chance is if he puts out an under-23 reserve side because National League sides can compete against academy players.

"If we were to get a draw and we could get back to the Emirates Stadium it would be one of the biggest results in the cup's history and for the players. I think half of my team support Arsenal."

The winner will face Lincoln City at home between Saturday, March 10, and Monday, March 13.

Follow the FA Cup fifth-round tie on the Sutton Guardian website from 5pm today (Monday, February 20).

The match will be aired live on BBC One from 7.55pm.