BOLTON Wanderers will be gunning for revenge when they go head to head with Arsenal in another FA Cup showdown at the Reebok later this month.

It was the draw neither team wanted, especially not as early as the fourth round stage, but Sam Allardyce is banking on home advantage, which has proved decisive in recent Premiership clashes, plus the incentive to avenge last season's quarter-final defeat giving his players the edge when they meet again on Saturday, January 28.

Gunners boss, Arsene Wenger, knows his cup holders could hardly have been given a tougher test.

Little over a month ago, Wanderers sent Arsenal back to North London with their tails between the legs after beating them comprehensively, in a Premiership game that caused much soul-searching at Highbury.

But Wanderers will be hoping history does not repeat itself. For it was only last season that, just eight weeks after beating the Gunners 1-0 at the Reebok in the league, they suffered a backlash as Arsenal came back to beat them in a quarter-final that was marred by the early dismissal of El-Hadji Diouf.

Allardyce has mixed emotions after Monday's draw.

"We probably would want to try something a little easier to get further in the competition, but the most important thing is to get a home draw, he said.

"We got that and we're all pleased that it's Arsenal, who are such a big team. It's such a big game for us."

He added: "Our past record against Arsenal has been exceptionally good in the league and we've managed to beat them twice at the Reebok, and our fans will relish the chance to try and beat them in the FA Cup."

Wenger, who had previously been critical of Wanderers' playing style, had no complaints when he left the Reebok last month, when Stelios and Abdoulaye Faye got the goals. In fact, he conceded there was much to be learned about the effectiveness of Allardyce's methods.

The Gunners, still formidable opponents, will be looking to atone for that defeat, but Allardyce is well aware they will not relish a return trip.

"I certainly hope their players are not relishing the fact they'll be coming here and it won't be easy," he added.

"When we beat them here 2-0 and it was comfortable in the end and we really deserved it on the day. It might be on their minds, hopefully that can be repeated in this competition and we can go further.

"For us, certainly for me, who has never experienced an FA Cup final as long as I've been in the game, it would be outstanding.

"It's a great competition to go all the way in, but it is Arsenal and they are a fantastic side, playing great football, so it'll never be anything other than very difficult for our players. They will have to be on top of their game to get a result."

Wenger, who saw his Gunners beat Manchester United on penalties at Cardiff in May to clinch Arsenal's tenth FA Cup triumph, reacted philosophically to the draw.

"A Premiership team in the FA Cup is no more difficult than a team from any other division," he said after the Gunners' 2-1 victory over Cardiff in Saturday's third round.

"There are a lot of ingredients that sometimes makes the game more difficult when you are playing a lower team."