Ask any member of Arsenal's 1998 double-winning side about Port Vale and they'll breathe a sigh of relief.

The Gunners were pitted against the then-second-tier outfit in the third round of the FA Cup in January 1998.

Welcoming the Staffordshire outfit to Highbury, the expectation was that the eventual Premier League title champions would blow John Rudge's away.

Heading into the match, Arsenal were sitting fifth in the table - nine points behind leaders Manchester United and coming off the back of a 1-1 draw away at rivals Tottenham Hotspur .

A big reaction was predicted by fans and pundits, especially against a Port Vale side that hadn't claimed a win in nearly two months.

It was the first time in 71 years that the two teams would face each other on the pitch, with that FA Cup f

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