Arsenal v Aston Villa, 30 May 2015

Score4-0 to Arsenal
RefereeJonathan Moss
CompetitionFA Cup Final
VenueWembley Stadium
Attendance89,283
All eight previous FA Cup Finals at the new Wembley had been won by a one-goal margin. Arsenal and Aston Villa had now been drawn together in the FA Cup 11 times. Arsenal now had eight wins to Aston Villa's three. This was the first time they had met in the Final. Kick-off: 5.30pm

4 Arsenal

Manager: Arsene Wenger

0 Aston Villa

Manager: Tim Sherwood

Goals:

Theo Walcott 40 G
Alexis Sánchez 50 G
Per Mertesacker 62 G
Olivier Giroud 90 G

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny
Defender Per Mertesacker
Defender Nacho Monreal
Midfielder Francis Coquelin
Midfielder Mesut Özil
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey
Midfielder Santi Cazorla
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Sánchez
Midfielder/Forward Theo Walcott

Starting lineup:

Shay Given Goalkeeper
Alan Hutton Defender
Jores Okore Defender
Ron Vlaar Defender
Ashley R Westwood Defender/Midfielder
Tom Cleverley Midfielder
Fabian Delph Midfielder
Charles N'Zogbia Midfielder
Jack Grealish Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Olivier Giroud for Theo Walcott 77
Jack Wilshere for Mesut Özil 77
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Alexis Sánchez 90

Substitutions:

Gabby Agbonlahor for Charles N'Zogbia 53
Leandro Bacuna for Kieran Richardson 68
Carlos Sánchez for Ashley R Westwood 71

Cards:

Cards:

Tom Cleverley 15 Y
Alan Hutton 33 Y
Fabian Delph 38 Y
Ashley R Westwood 52 Y
Gabby Agbonlahor 83 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Ospina
Defender/Midfielder Kieran Gibbs
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini
Midfielder Jack Wilshere
Forward Olivier Giroud

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Nathan Baker
Defender/Midfielder Leandro Bacuna
Midfielder Joe Cole
Midfielder Carlos Sánchez
Forward Scott Sinclair

Comments:

This was Arsenal’s 19th FA Cup Final and 12th FA Cup Final win - both competition records. The Gunners became the first holders to retain the FA Cup since Chelsea in 2010. Only six clubs have won the FA Cup in successive seasons. Arsenal also did so in 2002 and 2003 so are one of only four clubs to have won the Cup back-to-back more than once (along with The Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur). This was the biggest winning margin in a FA Cup Final since Manchester United beat Chelsea 4-0 in 1994. It was the Gunners' biggest FA Cup Final win. Arsene Wenger equalled Aston Villa's George Ramsay's competition record of six FA Cup Final wins as a manager. NB Ramsey was Villa's secretary from 1884–1926 so, in a position that pre-dates the modern role of a manager, meant that he was responsible for the team. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 FA Cup games since Blackburn Rovers' 5th round win at the Emirates on 16 February 2013. The Gunners had now won 23 of the last 35 matches in all competitions against Aston Villa (lost three). They scored 12 goals in their three games against Villa in 2014-15 without reply (3-0 at Villa Park, 5-0 at the Emirates and now 4-0 at Wembley). This was the first time that four players from four different countries had scored for the same team in a FA Cup Final. England international Theo Walcott scored seven goals in his seven starts for Arsenal in 2014-15. Alexis Sanchez became the second Chilean to score in the FA Cup Final. George Robledo scored for Newcastle United against Arsenal in 1952. Germany World Cup winner Per Mertesacker's last three goals for Arsenal had all been scored in the FA Cup. Frenchman Olivier Giroud has scored eight goals in his 14 FA Cup appearances (all for Arsenal). Mesut Ozil remained unbeaten in his ten FA Cup appearances (all for Arsenal).

Comments:

Only three clubs have lifted the FA Cup on more often than Aston Villa. Their seven wins came between 1887 and 1957. This was their first FA Cup Final since 2000 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the last Final at the old Wembley. This was Villa's 11th appearance in a FA Cup Final but only their third since 1924. Shay Given played in his only other FA Cup Final 17 years earlier. In 1998, he was in the Newcastle United team that lost to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. At 39 years and 40 days, he became the third-oldest keeper to play in a FA Cup Final behind David James and David Seaman.

4 Arsenal

Manager: Arsene Wenger

Goals:

Theo Walcott 40 G
Alexis Sánchez 50 G
Per Mertesacker 62 G
Olivier Giroud 90 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny
Defender Per Mertesacker
Defender Nacho Monreal
Midfielder Francis Coquelin
Midfielder Mesut Özil
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey
Midfielder Santi Cazorla
Midfielder/Forward Alexis Sánchez
Midfielder/Forward Theo Walcott

Substitutions:

Olivier Giroud for Theo Walcott 77
Jack Wilshere for Mesut Özil 77
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Alexis Sánchez 90

Cards:

On the bench:

Goalkeeper David Ospina
Defender/Midfielder Kieran Gibbs
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini
Midfielder Jack Wilshere
Forward Olivier Giroud

Comments:

This was Arsenal’s 19th FA Cup Final and 12th FA Cup Final win - both competition records. The Gunners became the first holders to retain the FA Cup since Chelsea in 2010. Only six clubs have won the FA Cup in successive seasons. Arsenal also did so in 2002 and 2003 so are one of only four clubs to have won the Cup back-to-back more than once (along with The Wanderers, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur). This was the biggest winning margin in a FA Cup Final since Manchester United beat Chelsea 4-0 in 1994. It was the Gunners' biggest FA Cup Final win. Arsene Wenger equalled Aston Villa's George Ramsay's competition record of six FA Cup Final wins as a manager. NB Ramsey was Villa's secretary from 1884–1926 so, in a position that pre-dates the modern role of a manager, meant that he was responsible for the team. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 FA Cup games since Blackburn Rovers' 5th round win at the Emirates on 16 February 2013. The Gunners had now won 23 of the last 35 matches in all competitions against Aston Villa (lost three). They scored 12 goals in their three games against Villa in 2014-15 without reply (3-0 at Villa Park, 5-0 at the Emirates and now 4-0 at Wembley). This was the first time that four players from four different countries had scored for the same team in a FA Cup Final. England international Theo Walcott scored seven goals in his seven starts for Arsenal in 2014-15. Alexis Sanchez became the second Chilean to score in the FA Cup Final. George Robledo scored for Newcastle United against Arsenal in 1952. Germany World Cup winner Per Mertesacker's last three goals for Arsenal had all been scored in the FA Cup. Frenchman Olivier Giroud has scored eight goals in his 14 FA Cup appearances (all for Arsenal). Mesut Ozil remained unbeaten in his ten FA Cup appearances (all for Arsenal).

0 Aston Villa

Manager: Tim Sherwood

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Shay Given Goalkeeper
Alan Hutton Defender
Jores Okore Defender
Ron Vlaar Defender
Ashley R Westwood Defender/Midfielder
Tom Cleverley Midfielder
Fabian Delph Midfielder
Charles N'Zogbia Midfielder
Jack Grealish Midfielder/Forward

Substitutions:

Gabby Agbonlahor for Charles N'Zogbia 53
Leandro Bacuna for Kieran Richardson 68
Carlos Sánchez for Ashley R Westwood 71

Cards:

Tom Cleverley 15 Y
Alan Hutton 33 Y
Fabian Delph 38 Y
Ashley R Westwood 52 Y
Gabby Agbonlahor 83 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Nathan Baker
Defender/Midfielder Leandro Bacuna
Midfielder Joe Cole
Midfielder Carlos Sánchez
Forward Scott Sinclair

Comments:

Only three clubs have lifted the FA Cup on more often than Aston Villa. Their seven wins came between 1887 and 1957. This was their first FA Cup Final since 2000 when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the last Final at the old Wembley. This was Villa's 11th appearance in a FA Cup Final but only their third since 1924. Shay Given played in his only other FA Cup Final 17 years earlier. In 1998, he was in the Newcastle United team that lost to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. At 39 years and 40 days, he became the third-oldest keeper to play in a FA Cup Final behind David James and David Seaman.