The Gunners, who also won The FA Nationwide Women’s Premier League last season, have not been beaten in domestic football since December 2003 and could possibly collect four trophies in the current campaign.

As well as being well placed to retain their League crown they are already into the final of the Premier League Cup, the semi-final of the UEFA Women’s Cup and the last 16 of The FA Cup.

A quarter-final place now beckons on Sunday in the English game’s most glamorous competition, but Arsenal will not progress without a mighty battle from a team which has already run them close in the League.

October’s 1-0 home success against Leeds was the narrowest National Division win of the season to date for the Gunners, who in Yorkshire on Sunday can expect another searching examination of their trophy-winning credentials.

Looking ahead to the big match, Smith said: “Arsenal are the best team in the country and they are very difficult to play against, but we gave them a close game at their place in the League and we aim to go one better in the Cup.

“We’ve been working very hard on how to stop them playing and getting our own game going against them, and we’ll certainly be going into the game with a positive attitude and believing we can win it.

“Too many teams go into matches against Arsenal with a negative attitude and if you do that, you’re beaten before you start. That’s not our way, and we feel we have the individual players and the team spirit to get a result on Sunday.”

One player in particular who could be a real nuisance to the Gunners is former England captain Karen Walker, the 35 year-old striker having belied her ‘veteran’ status this season with 22 League and Cup goals.

Four of those Walker strikes came in Leeds’ 4-1 FA Cup fourth round victory at Blackburn Rovers. “Kaz is getting on a bit but she’s been absolutely fantastic for us this season," said Smith.

“Four goals in the last round was a great achievement for her, but if she only gets one on Sunday and we beat Arsenal 1-0 I’ll settle for that – it would be a tremendous result that could set us up for a run all the way to the final.”

Arsenal’s visit to Leeds is one of only two all-National Division ties in Round Five. The other one sees Fulham, FA Cup winners in 2002 and 2003, entertaining a Birmingham City side which in Round Four trounced Doncaster Rovers Belles 9-1.

Charlton Athletic, the team beaten by Arsenal in last season’s final, should in theory have an easier afternoon than the Gunners as they are at home to West Ham United of the South East Combination.

But the Hammers will be going all out to produce a shock result, as will their fellow non-league outfits Reading Royals against Southern Division leaders Chelsea and Leafield Athletic against the National Division’s second-placed club Everton.

Leafield should not provide too many problems for Everton, but the Toffees’ Merseyside neighbours Liverpool could be in for a torrid time when they travel to meet Northern Division leaders Sunderland.

The Black Cats have won 11 of their last 12 League and Cup outings while Liverpool, battling to stay in the National Division, had lost five successive matches before beating Southern Division side Portsmouth in Round Four of The FA Cup.

Bristol Rovers, enjoying a successful season in the National Division and looking to reach their fourth semi-final in five seasons, will be favourites to beat mid-table Northern Division team Sheffield Wednesday.

But there will be at least one regional division side in the quarter-finals as Round Five’s final tie pits Millwall Lionesses of the Southern Division against the Northern Division’s Tranmere Rovers.

The FA Nationwide Women’s Cup 5th Round
Sunday 30 January 2005
(1.00 pm unless otherwise stated)
Bristol Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday
Charlton Athletic v West Ham United (2.00 pm)
Fulham v Birmingham City
Millwall Lionesses v Tranmere Rovers
Leafield Athletic v Everton (1.30 pm)
Leeds United v Arsenal
Reading Royals v Chelsea
Sunderland v Liverpool