The Heads up FA Cup Final throws up a special London affair under the Wembley arch with a clash of London rivals who happen to be the most successful sides (six apiece) in the FA Cup in this millennium.
This fixture is befitting of a modern-day FA Cup final as Arsenal and Chelsea share 21 triumphs between them (record 13 for Arsenal and eight for Chelsea) and faced each other in two of Chelsea’s last three cup finals. After winning in 2002, the Gunners also defeated the blues in a pulsating 2017 final but Chelsea had the last laugh in the Europa League last season.
Although one thing was common, Olivier Giroud playing a huge part in both winning sides. After setting up the winner in 2017 and opening the scoring for Chelsea in Baku in 2019, will the in-form Frenchman pull another Wembley special?
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Giroud providing Chelsea’s Midas touch
He wants to win his fifth winners medal and already has five goals at Wembley in the FA Cup. He aims to become only the second man in FA Cup Final history to score for and against the same side.
On the other hand, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks to become the first African to lift the FA Cup as captain and his first trophy in England might be the incentive he needs to stay, with a year left on his Arsenal contract. After his 22 Premier League goals and a brace that knocked Man City out of the semifinal, the Gabonese will be keen to run out against Chelsea’s timid defence.
The game will also secure a first managerial trophy for either Mikel Arteta or Frank Lampard in their first season on the job. As the former Arsenal Captain led his team to two FA Cups as well as winning it as a coach at City, Lampard would hope to add to his four winners medals and continue a unique family tradition having seen his father, Frank Lampard Sr, and uncle, Harry Redknapp, win it as a player and manager respectively. The Chelsea boss will also aim to become the first English manager to win it since his uncle did in 2008 with Portsmouth.
Victory for Arteta’s Arsenal would mean an automatic Europa League spot and a serious validation of the Spaniard’s work only eight months into his managerial career.
Although the unprecedented Heads Up FA Cup Final will be without fans at Wembley, it still presents a major occasion on the calendar and the many young stars on show for both teams will be keen to leave their mark on a first appearance in the final of the oldest cup competition in world football.
The big day is nigh, the stage is set.
Bring on the Wembley action
Gunners are poised to bring down Chelsea. It is going to be a har match but Arsenal will laugh last.