The FA Cup Final - Special Match Preview

F.A Cup Third Round
Manchester United 0-0 Exeter City

Sir Alex Ferguson showed a distinct lack of respect for United's Conference opponents, fielding a very weak side for the visit of the Grecians and paid a heavy price. The visiting side played with pride and passion in front of 9,000 travelling fans, and bettered the inexperienced United players such as Chris Eagles and David Joins for long periods.
With the likes of Tim Howard, Phillip Neville and Wesley Brown starting the game, and Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo being introduced later on, United should still have had enough to beat the Devon outfit. But complacency gets you nowhere in the F.A Cup, and Exeter battled so hard to get a deserved replay and to humiliate the Cup holders.

F.A Cup Third Round Replay
Exeter City 0-2 Manchester United

Sir Alex clearly learnt his lesson from the first tie, fielding a much strengthened side for the journey south to the real St.James' Park. There were still some nervy moments for the 1999 Treble winners against a side who had only scraped a draw at lowly Isthmian Premier side Billericay Town in the F.A Trophy days earlier.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave the visitors the lead after only nine minutes and a bumper crowd expected to see United roll over the part-timers. However, Exeter battled hard and it wasn't until Wayne Rooney's late goal that the tie was beyond doubt. A home tie against an improving Middlesbrough was the reward for stumbling past brave Exeter.

F.A Cup Fourth Round
Manchester United 3-0 Middlesbrough

In complete contrast to the Exeter games, an emphatic Manchester United cruised into the last 16 with a demolition job of Steve McClaren's Middlesbrough. A packed Old Trafford were expected a tight contest with the hosts fielding a midfield including the unfashionable trio Phil Neville, John O'Shea and Quinton Fortune. However, it was O'Shea who gave the Reds the lead as he capped a fine performance with a goal in the very unfamiliar role of attacking midfield.
The Irishman stepped aside in the second-half though as teenage sensation Rooney stole the show. An incredible brace, including a candidate for goal of the season left the home fans on their feet as the England international took his Cup goal tally to three for the season.

F.A Cup Fifth Round
Everton 0-2 Manchester United

The media were tipping an upset as surprise package of the season Everton hosted United, with Rooney's return to his former club dominating the pre-match previews. However, the return of the youngster failed to motivate his former team-mates as United served up another impressive performance to knock the Scousers out at the fifth round stage. Fortune, an unlikely hero in the Cup thus far, gave a hungry United side the lead before Ronaldo tied up the win with the goals coming either side of the break.
It was not the scoreline or Rooney's return that took the headlines, however, with crowd trouble outside Goodison Park and objects thrown at Ulsterman Roy Carroll dominating the press coverage.

F.A Cup Quarter-Final
Southampton 0-4 Manchester United

Southampton, now facing Championship football, were struggling at the wrong end of the Premiership table all season and the Cup provided rest bite for Saints supporters, but the red side of the south coast had nothing to cheer as United marched into town. Revealing the defensive frailties of Harry Redknapp's out-of-sorts line-up United dominated throughout with a touch of arrogance in their display as they cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win.
The backlash that Southampton feared after United's Champions League exit duly materialised in the form of goals from Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo and a brace from Paul Scholes. 30,971 watched as the Red Devils booked their place in the F.A Cup semi-finals, with the competition quickly looking like our only chance of silverware.

F.A Cup Semi-Final
Newcastle United 1-4 Manchester United (neutral venue)

Newcastle were to stage no backlash after their humiliating Uefa Cup exit, and instead were simply outclassed by a United side desperate to retain the F.A Cup for successive seasons. A close encounter was expected, but the Reds were too good for Graeme Souness' side who were languishing in the bottom-half of the table as they visited the Millennium Stadium against the wishes of both sets of fans.
A flicked finish from Van Nistelrooy started the rout, whilst Scholes doubled the advantage with a fine header before the break, and Ruud netted again soon after the interval. Shola Ameobi made it a contest again for the Magpies, but his strike proved only consolation as Ronaldo booked United a swift return to the Millennium Stadium, with Arsenal confirmed as opponents the following day.

So, it's the two kings of the Cup who face off on May 21st, both looking to win a peice of silverware this season. Arsenal have not had an easy ride to the final, struggling against Championship sides Stoke City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United before edging past Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. It promises to be an epic showdown, and expect this one to go all the way. The record of no penalty shoot-outs at a Cup final could well be in jeopardy.

Team News

Gary Neville paid a visit to a private Cardiff hospital to seek help with a problematic groin injury this week, but after receiving treatment the right-back seems likely to start.

Frenchman Thierry Henry was ruled out of the showdown last week and Jose Reyes is likely to lead the attack. Sol Campbell is likely to start in defence despite a lack of match fitness.

Pre-Match Quotes

"Sir Alex can prepare his team to face us with Henry but I can assure everyone he is not going to play. I have decided to start with Jose Antonio Reyes but I don't know where yet. I think he is much stronger now physically than at the beginning of the season. We don't have Thierry, but Jose is a striker who can be inspirational for us going forward. He is an important asset in our team," Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

"You have to put in the effort in these games. We need to keep our discipline. If we want to win the game, we need to keep 11 players on the pitch. But that won't take away from the bite we put into the tackles and the way we approach the game. We must be determined, strong and controlled," United defender Rio Ferdinand.

""I think it's important for us to have a good performance and a winning performance to finish the season with a good feeling," Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The Fans' View

"2-1 United. 2-1... Bergkamp to score first, 1-0 at half-time, then a header from Ruud after a brilliant run and pin-point cross from Ronaldo. A wonder-goal from Rooney in the dying minutes, and then a frantic last 5 minutes in which both sides nearly score again," Captain of Bhangra.

"Very tough to call. I'll go with 1-0 United. 4 out of 5 for the season against the ARSEna," Scumpool.

"I am hoping for a win, but my head says on current form 2-0 to the Gooners. I will be over the moon if we beat them, but I just have this nagging doubt," emptyred.

"I think we'll have the edge, especially because they don't have Henry. I predict a Rooney goal, he's such a good big match performer," Rebecca.