Arsenal in the FA Cup final - five reminders of the club’s happier times

Alan Sunderland

Arsenal in the FA Cup final - five reminders of the club’s happier times

By Peter White

So, Saturday marks FA Cup final day, with either Champions League finalists Chelsea or top-four challengers Leicester City primed to take the domestic crown away from 2019/20 winners Arsenal. 

Mikel Arteta landed his first major trophy as a manager just eight months into his tenure at the Gunners, with talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang notching goals either side of half-time to secure a 2-1 win over London rivals Chelsea. 

Arsenal’s defence came to an abrupt end earlier this season at the fourth-round stage, with Gabriel’s 24th-minute own goal enough to guide Southampton to a 1-0 victory at St Mary’s in January. 

That defeat marked just one of many blemishes on what has been a largely disappointing campaign for a side who hold the record for FA Cup wins (14), with a first Europe-free season in 25 years now a likely prospect due to shortcomings at home and on the continent. 

But with only two games of the current season remaining and a fresh start just around the corner let us reflect on happier times for the club, who have enjoyed unmatched success in the oldest cup competition in football. 

While the nation settles down to find out how one of the standout fixtures in the footballing calendar unfolds - with kick-off at Wembley merely a matter of hours away - we’ve picked out five Arsenal FA Cup highlights to rekindle memories of the club’s former glories. 

May 12, 1979 - Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United

One of the most memorable FA Cup finals of all time with perhaps the most dramatic ending ever, Terry Neill’s Gunners recovered from surrendering a two-goal lead four minutes from time to snatch the win and lift the trophy. 

A fifth FA Cup triumph looked to be signed, sealed and delivered with under five minutes to go, after first-half goals from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton had put Arsenal 2-0 in front. 

Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy equalised for United in a two-minute whirlwind, but there was somehow still time for Alan Sunderland to slide in a theatrical winner and kick-start euphoria. 

May 16, 1998 - Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United

Perhaps not the most memorable encounter on the pitch, Arsenal’s 1998 triumph signalled their first under manager Arsene Wenger, and followed Premier League glory to mark the club’s second league and cup double. 

Goals from Dutchman Marc Overmars and Frenchman Nicolas Anelka were enough to earn a comfortable win in front of 80,000 spectators at Wembley, with the Magpies unable to deliver much service to talismanic forward Alan Shearer. 

Having led Arsenal to their first FA Cup win for five years Wenger would go on to lift the trophy on six further occasions during a 22-year spell at the club, becoming the competition’s most successful manager.

Patrick Vieira

May 21, 2005 - Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United (AET Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties)

Again, not a classic in terms of goals and standout moments, this final will always be remembered for the penalty shootout, when Arsenal combatted a lacklustre performance to sneak past a dominant Manchester United side. 

The Gunners went into the clash having followed up their ‘invincible’ season with a second-place finish behind Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, and they had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to thank for a string of fine saves to deny Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes to keep it goalless. 

Jose Antonio Reyes was sent off at the end of extra-time, before Patrick Vieira slotted the decisive penalty to seal victory just months after his infamous altercation with Roy Keane in the Highbury tunnel.

May 17, 2014 - Arsenal 3-2 Hull City

A modern classic, Arsenal - and Wenger in particular - went into this match under severe pressure due to the club’s eight-year trophy drought. 

On paper the Gunners should have cruised past a Hull team that had narrowly survived in the Premier League that season, but early goals from James Chester and Curtis Davies put the north Londoners on the back foot. 

Santi Cazorla scored a superb free-kick before Laurent Koscielny scrambled in an equaliser 19 minutes from time, and Aaron Ramsey netted in injury-time to cue the celebrations. 

August 1, 2020 - Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

While the current season hasn’t sprung up many moments for the memory book, we only have to go back nine months to recap on the last time Arsenal lifted the FA Cup crown. 

Christian Pulisic put Chelsea in front in the fifth minute, but skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised from the penalty spot ahead of the half-hour mark after being fouled by Cesar Azpilicueta. 

The Gabon forward then delivered a sumptuous finish after the break to guide the Gunners to their 14th and most recent FA Cup title, and boost Mikel Arteta’s credentials early into his managerial career.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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