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Arsene Wenger's FA Cup Back Catalogue

Should Arsenal win the FA Cup on Saturday, Arsene Wenger will set an FA Cup record. Currently his...



Arsene Wenger's FA Cup Bac...
Soccer

Arsene Wenger's FA Cup Back Catalogue

Should Arsenal win the FA Cup on Saturday, Arsene Wenger will set an FA Cup record.

Currently his six previous victories mean he is level with ex-Aston Villa boss George Ramsey as the managers with the most FA Cup titles.

With the mood music not as its most light-hearted around Wenger and his reign at present, now is a timely reminder of what the Frenchman has achieved in the competition.

1998

By this stage, Wenger had just won his Premier League title as Arsenal boss and Newcastle were the opponents in the decider at Wembley.

With the back four he inherited from the George Graham era and his French midfield duo of Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit in front of them, Arsenal saw off Alan Shearer and co 2-0 in the final thanks to a goal in each half from Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka. 

A long pass saw Overmars in an inside left channel and he slotted in through former Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given's legs for the opener, before Anelka was found by another through ball from Ray Parlour before using his pace to race clear and slot past Given with plenty of composure.

Arsenal's star player at the time and top scorer that season, Dennis Bergkamp, missed the fixture due to injury. 

2002

In 2001, a Michael Owen inspired Liverpool had turned the FA Cup final around against Arsenal.

But the following year, Wenger guided the team back again at the Millennium Stadium.

While Wenger and co were en route to another double in 2002, the Gunners would only seal the Premier League title four days after the final, which they duly did at Old Trafford by beating title rivals Manchester United 1-0 on their home ground.

But before that, there was a small matter of a London derby against Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Like 1998, it ended up finishing 2-0 and two fantastic strikes from Freddy Ljungberg and Ray Parlour separated the sides at the final whistle.

2003

Wenger's love affair with the cup was not an end as the Gunners returned the following seasons and won it once again. 

This time Southampton were the opposition in a tighter 1-0 result in Cardiff which saw Robert Pires' first half goal from close range separating the sides.

It was also a welcome end to the season when they had let a Premier League lead slip as great rivals Manchester United overtook them at the close of the league campaign.

2005 

For nine years after the 2005 final, Arsenal and Wenger would infamously remain without a trophy for nine years.

A year on from their famous Invincibles achievement, Arsenal, who had finished second in the league to new rising power Chelsea, would show resilience in the final against Man United, holding out for a 0-0 draw before victory in the penalty shootout which saw the Gunners convert all of their efforts successfully.

While a Champions League final would come in 2006 and Thierry Henry would not leave the club until 2007, there was a sense of a changing of the guard in the '05 final.

The symbols of the next team Wenger tried to construct were involved as Cesc Fabregas and Philippe Senderos started and Robin van Persie came on as an 86th minute substitute.

And it was the final Arsenal match for the man that would lift the famous old trophy, Patrick Vieira.

2014

Almost a decade on from that 2005 triumph, Arsenal's trophy cabinet had not had any new additions. But they were clear favourites to overcome Hull City when they finally returned to the final.

However, Wenger and co almost blew the chance presented to them at Wembley as Hull raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to shambolic defending.

But Wenger's proverbial handbrake was taken off as Arsenal showed guts to battle back, first thanks to Santi Cazorla's excellent free kick and Laurent Koscielny's scrappy finish from close range.

In a tense game which showed how much pressure Arsenal were under to finally deliver a long awaited trophy, it fell for Aaron Ramsey to fire in at the near post to finally release the Gunners from their shackles.

It was also Wenger's first Wembley final victory since 1998.

2015 

You wait for a trophy and then two come along almost at once. The following season, Arsenal managed to get themselves back to the final and it was Aston Villa who awaited.

Unlike 2014, it was a far more comfortable match for Wenger to oversee as goals from Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez, Per Mertesacker and Olivier Giroud secured a 4-0 win and a record equalling sixth FA Cup for the manager.

Just like 1998, Given was the opposition keeper in the final.

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