The Top 5 FA Cup Finals in the Modern Era

Chelsea take on Leicester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday. The Blues were beaten finalists last season and will be hoping Thomas Tuchel can guide them to their ninth FA Cup trophy. Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes have had a stellar few seasons and will be eager to crown their good form with silverware.

The FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world and has produced some thrilling finals in the modern era which is why we’ve narrowed it down to the top five finals just for you.

Liverpool 3 – 3 West Ham (2006)

In what is the most entertaining FA Cup final of the modern era, Liverpool edged out West Ham on penalties (3-1) after the two sides couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes of football. This was a thrilling final which had almost everything. An own goal from Jamie Carragher in the first half and a superb long-range goal from Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard to take the match to extra time. Neither team landed a decisive blow in extra time but West Ham scored only one of their four penalties, meaning successful spot-kicks from Dietmar Hamann, Gerrard and John Arne Riise gave Liverpool the trophy

Arsenal 3 – 2 Hull (2014)

Arsenal had gone nine long years without a trophy but this time, it seemed that there was no way for even Arsenal to mess it up. First, James Chester diverted Tom Huddlestone’s speculative shot into the far corner, before Curtis Davies doubled Hull’s advantage to leave the red half of Wembley shocked. Santi Cazorla pulled one back with an excellent free-kick in the 17th minute, but Hull still held the lead after three-quarters of the game had passed. Arsenal finally equalised through Laurent Koscielny with 19 minutes remaining, before Aaron Ramsey made himself a hero by netting the all-important fifth goal in extra time.

Wigan 1-0 Man City (2013)

Wigan’s 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in 2013 was one of the great FA Cup final stories in modern history. Shaun Maloney and Callum McManaman were constant thorns in the side of their more illustrious opponents, as Wigan registered a higher-than-expected 48% of possession. After Paulo Zabaleta was sent off in the second half, the final looked to be heading to extra time when Martinez’s men won a corner in second-half stoppage time. Maloney swung the ball into the box and Ben Watson rose highest to head home at the front post to win the FA Cup for the side who were already relegated from the Premier League.

Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal (2001)

Arsenal were the better team for the majority of the contest, which was the first FA Cup final to be held at the Millennium Stadium in Wales. Freddie Ljunberg broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute. Micheal Owen then equalised when he reacted quickest to score from a loose ball after Arsenal failed to clear a freekick. Then, in the 88th minute, Owen wrote his name into the history books, outpacing Lee Dixon and angling a terrific finish inside the far post to give Liverpool victory in what is arguably the most thrilling ending to an FA Cup final.

Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool (2012)

Big games call for big players, which is why it came as no surprise to see the Blues’ talisman Didier Drogba scored the winner as they lifted the trophy at Wembley. It was the trophy that nobody expected, as former player Roberto Di Matteo was in interim charge of the team and led them into a two-goal lead in the final courtesy of Ramires and then the man for the big occasion Drogba, scoring his fourth and what proved to be his last FA Cup final goal. The second-half introduction of Andy Carroll brought the Reds a goal just after the hour mark. Carroll then thought he had an equaliser with a header, but Petr Cech somehow turned the effort onto the bar and Chelsea saw out the victory to deny Kenny Dalglish some silverware in his final game as Liverpool manager.

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