Arsenal and Chelsea are set to battle for the world’s oldest football cup competition with the two team looking to add to their silverware come May 27th at the Wembley stadium, in the 136th final of the FA Cup.
The winner will enter the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League at the group stage, although Chelsea have already booked their place for next season Champions League.
This is a rematch of the 2002 FA Cup Final and the first final since 2003 in which both sides won league meetings between each other during the course of the season, with a 3–0 victory by Arsenal in September 2016, and a 3–1 win by Chelsea in February 2017.
Despite Chelsea qualifying for the final first, Arsenal is designated as the home team as they come first alphabetically in The FA’s register.
Arsenal would be appearing in a record 20th FA Cup Final and would be looking to regain the record for most FA Cup wins by winning their thirteenth in this match. Arsenal shared the record at 12 after Manchester United equalled Arsenal’s original record last season. Embattled Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger also jointly holds the record as the most successful manager in the FA Cup having won it six times previously. Chelsea had won the FA Cup four times since 2003.
Arsenal defeated fellow Premier League side, Manchester City with a 2–1 win, goals from Nacho Monreal and Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez that see Arsenal book their place in the final.
Chelsea reached the final with a 4–2 win with two goals from Willian and a goal each from Eden Hazard and Nemanja Matić.
While Chelsea are eyeing the double after winning the Premier League, manager Antonio Conte is also looking to win the double in his first season in charge of Chelsea, putting him in place with other manager who have won the double in their first season in the Premier League, Arsene Wenger need to win the FA Cup to give Arsenal fans and his players something to cheer for at the end of what is regarded as a bad season to Arsenal standard who look set to miss out in the race for the top four. With transfer rumor linking the likes of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Diego Costa to China, Sanchez and Ozil away from Arsenal, the final is a fight to finish from this two London rivals.
Who take these one Arsenal or Chelsea? I guess time will tell.
Ismail Abiodun
