Arsenal
are in the FA Cup Final. Manchester City will rail against the
injustice of it all and, in particular, a ‘goal’ by Sergio Aguero that
was
wrongly disallowed while they also struck the woodwork twice and
missed a host of chances.
Arsenal dug deep – as so often they have failed to do – and
showed immense spirit as they came from behind with goals by Nacho
Monreal and, in extra-time, Alexis Sanchez.
They will meet Chelsea
in the final with an unlikely chance of another trophy for Arsene Wenger
in a season of such frustration and doubt. Maybe now that contract
announcement will be made even if he will not qualify for the Champions
League.
For Pep Guardiola a first campaign in which so much was
expected will end with a fight to stay in the top four and nothing more.
No trophy. Not this year. And that has to represent failure just as
Wenger is not expected to qualify for the Champions League for the first
time.
The last thing everyone expected was a game littered by
fouls – some cynical – with chances at a premium. But that is what
unfolded until the encounter opened up gloriously, chaotically and
end-to-end in the second-half.
Before
that it had been completely dominated by City. Both sides,
nevertheless, had penalty claims. Both sides also had ‘goals’ disallowed
– with the refusal of City’s strike the one that should have stood.
It came as assistant referee Steve Child deemed that Leroy
Sane’s cross had gone out of play but the whole of the ball had not –
how could he be sure? – before Aguero volleyed goalwards. Petr Cech beat
it out and substitute Raheem Sterling turned in the rebound but it was
chalked off. It should have been given. It should have been Aguero’s
goal.
The
striker also felt he should have had a penalty when the otherwise
impressive Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tangled with him but that was less
defined as Aguero also clipped his own heels and, maybe, the benefit of
doubt should have gone to the Arsenal man as he was attempting to get
out of the way and the level of contact was not clear.
But
it added to City’s sense of frustration and injustice which had been
fuelled when David Silva – who had been prominent – was forced off after
a clumsy challenge by Gabriel which referee Craig Pawson did not deem
worthy of a caution. Having not yellow-carded Gabriel, Pawson then made
it difficult for himself as a number of other challenges went unpunished
including one by Jesus Navas, attempting to stop Sanchez from reaching a
free-kick which Arsenal claimed should have been a penalty and could
also have been given.
The
only one of the four major first-half incidents which was indisputable
was that Koscielny was offside when he volleyed past Claudio Bravo in a
rare foray forward by Arsenal who were almost overwhelmed by City. The
possession ratio was 70:30 but it felt even more as Arsenal were forced
deep and failed to get any kind of foot-hold.
They continued with the three at the back but it was
effectively five with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Monreal forced ever deeper
although, finally, into the second-half Arsenal began to provide a
sustained threat of their own and Granit Xhaka was presented with an
opportunity when a free-kick was squared to him, unmarked and with City
defending deep, only to shoot weakly.
At the other end and Nicolas Otamendi had a free header from
a corner, but planted it wastefully wide before he made a vital block
City almost gifted Arsenal the lead as Fernandinho carelessly lost the
ball inside his own area and it appeared Olivier Giroud would have the
chance to shoot. Otamendi covered.
Finally
there was a breakthrough with Arsenal also needlessly losing the ball,
on the edge of the City area, through Aaron Ramsey with Yaya Toure
intercepting and lifting a pass forward for Aguero who was suddenly in a
foot race with Monreal from inside his own half. There was only one
winner in that contest although Aguero appeared to then push the ball
too far ahead – only for Cech to hesitate and the striker to lift his
shot past him for his 12th goal in 12 appearances.
It
seemed that would be decisive but there was redemption for Monreal with
another poor concession from Arsenal as Oxlade-Chamberlain’s superb
deep cross allowed to run to the wing-back, who was not tracked, and he
smartly volleyed the ball home from close-range at the far post. It was
his first goal in two years.
City responded and it appeared Toure was set to restore
their lead but, this time, there was redemption for Cech who tipped his
bouncing volley, from outside the area, against the post. City struck
the frame of the goal again – this time Fernandinho rising high to meet
Kevin De Bruyne’s corner only for his header to cannon back off the
cross-bar.
Arsenal
then went close with substitute Danny Welbeck breaking clear of
Otamendi only for his curling shot to flash narrowly past the far post –
when maybe he should have squared it to Sanchez or crossed for Ramsey.
They both were better options.
Arsenal also claimed the first opportunity of extra-rime
with Rob Holding heading onto the roof of the net from a corner. And it
was from another corner that they scored with Koscielny heading the ball
back across goal, Welbeck taking a swipe at it before Sanchez pounced
ahead of Gael Clichy to sweep his shot past Bravo. Welbeck could have
settled it but headed wide.
It gave City a chance and they should have taken it when
they broke three on two only for substitute Fabian Delph’s shot to be
deflected into the side-netting. From the corner another replacement –
City’s fourth, permitted in the later rounds of the FA Cup – headed wide
when he again should have done better. But Arsenal held on and had
their extraordinary win.
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