Arsenal beat City to reach FA Cup final with Chelsea

Tuesday, 25 April 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Arsenal will play London rivals Chelsea in the FA Cup final on May 27 after beating Manchester City 2-1 following extra time in the semi-final at Wembley on Sunday.

Arsenal had to come from behind after Sergio Aguero scored his 30th goal of the season for City in the 62nd minute, racing on to a pass from Yaya Toure.

Spanish international Nacho Monreal equalised nine minutes later, from a cross by Arsenal’s other wing back Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

In the 11th minute of extra time, just after Aguero was taken off, Alexis Sanchez scored the winner.

The result gave Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, an FA Cup winner six times, a welcome boost in a season that many supporters would like to be his last at the club.

Arsenal seem likely to miss out on a top-four finish in the Premier League for the first time in 21 seasons under Wenger but winning a third FA Cup in four years could well persuade him to defy his critics and sign a new contract.

“I’m very proud of our performance and the spirit we’ve shown,” the Frenchman told BT Sport.”We gave a good answer to people who questioned that.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s record of having won at least one trophy in every season as a manager is almost certain to be ended.

City trail league leaders Chelsea, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 in Saturday’s semi-final, by 11 points with six games to play going into a big game on Thursday against local rivals Manchester United, who are fifth, one point behind them.