THE Manchester United supporters may have promised to scale down Malcolm Glazer protestations to help preserve the integrity of the FA Cup but it could well be the players' actions, not those of the fans, that make this a final to forget.

In what was originally billed as a showpiece United fans would use to vent their anger and frustrations at the Glazer takeover proposal - he effectively owns the club having bought just over 76 per cent of the shares - there has been a renewed call for calm.

The protests will be limited to thousands of supporters wearing black inside the Millennium Stadium and that could act as a spur to Sir Alex Ferguson's men, who will be donning that colour on the pitch.

But, while the whole football world waits in anticipation for what Glazer's reign will bring to Old Trafford when he officially launches his formal offer document next week, in south Wales today the 2005 FA Cup final has a chance to be remembered for the right reasons.

Whether that will be the case is open to debate. Only time will tell whether or not the Arsenal and Manchester United stars can concentrate on playing instead of throwing handbags.

It is quite fitting that Glazer has made his name in gridiron as owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because his first meaningful game since holding such a stake at the Theatre of Dreams threatens to resemble an NFL match-up.

The two clubs have been at each others throats for years and, despite even resorting to a call for a ceasefire on one occasion, there appears to be no respite in the fight between two Premiership heavyweights.

Feuds between Messrs Ferguson and Wenger have been as regular as Chelsea keeping a clean sheet and, although being renowned for many a year, there have been two controversial meetings this season alone.

On both occasions United emerged with the points but the games have been famed more for what happened off the pitch than on it.

In October there was the 'Pizzagate' scandal. After Arsenal's 49-game unbeaten run reached a cataclysmic end with a 2-0 defeat, Ferguson was the apparent victim of an attack by Arsenal players armed with items from the post-match buffet.

The whole saga ran for months and February's return fixture hit the Press for the wrong reasons as well, despite the FA's call for calm.

Before a ball had even been kicked, Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane exchanged pleasantries in the tunnel.

And with so much at stake for both clubs today with the spectre of a trophy-less season hanging over them, the build up for the FA Cup final appears to be setting itself up for another highly-charged affair.

The allegations and accusations have been far from reticent - fired by both sides at regular intervals.

United's bullying tactics have been touching a raw nerve with Arsenal for many years. But Ferguson refuses to accept Wenger's words and points the finger of blame towards north London.

A 'cheat' claim has often been used by the Arsenal boss and there looks certain to be a grand finale to the greatest club cup competition in the world.

It's only a matter of time until we learn whether this afternoon's FA Cup final will live long in the memory for what the Glazers, the supporters, the managers, the winners or the losers have been up to: let battle commence.