It's easy for fans of English football to get distracted with all the action going on - Champions League and UEFA Cup drama, and a keenly-fought Premiership title race - but this weekend sees another mouthwatering treat in store with the semi finals of the 2009 FA Cup.
A quartet
of top flight teams have made it into the final four - Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton.
The FA Cup is the televised live sporting event that galvanised bleary-eyed kiwi sports fans from as far back as 1973, when a heart-stopping final between Leeds and Sunderland flickered on black and white screens in the early hours.
(Just for good measure, to add to the drama, underdogs Sunderland stole the Cup from under the favourites' noses with a stunning 1-nil victory.)
This weekend, the refurbished Wembley Stadium plays host to a brace of top-class FA Cup semi finals, with fellow Champions League survivors Arsenal and Chelsea up first on Sunday morning (NZ time).
The match will decide who will be returning on May 30 to play either Manchester United or Everton, who meet in their semi at the same venue around 24 hours later.
Chelsea will have to sweep aside over 60 years of frustration if they're to progress. Arsenal have prevailed in each of their last six Cup encounters against Chelsea, who last eliminated the Gunners in 1947.
Everton have the formidable task of putting paid to Manchester United's lofty 2009 dreams, and knocking out the most successful club in FA Cup history.
United sides have hoisted the Cup high on a record 11 occasions.
Everton are making their first visit to the new Wembley; Manchester United were there in March, beating Tottenham in the Carling Cup final in a penalty shoot-out, after a goal-less 120 minutes.
The current holders of the FA Cup are Premier League side Portsmouth, who beat Cardiff City 1–nil last May.
TVNZ are sceening both semi finals live, with replays afterwards.
WHAT: FA Cup first semi final
WHO: Chelsea v Arsenal
WHERE: Wembley Stadium
WHEN: Sunday 4.15am (NZT)
WHAT: FA Cup second semi final
WHO: Manchester United v Everton
WHERE: Wembley Stadium
WHEN: Monday 3.00am (NZT)