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#4 Upsetting the odds in the FA Cup (2017)
2016-17 wasn’t the best season for Arsenal; not only did bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur finish above them in the Premier League for the first time since 1994-95, but they also failed to finish in the top 4 for the first time during Arsene Wenger’s reign at the club. To lighten the mood of Gunners fans, though, the team managed to pick up some silverware in the form of the FA Cup, against the odds, too.
Not only were Arsenal faced with Antonio Conte’s Chelsea – who had won the Premier League title – in the final, but they were also forced to do it with a somewhat makeshift defence, as Gabriel Paulista, Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny were all unavailable, meaning Wenger was forced to play with a three-man defence consisting of Nacho Monreal alongside veteran Per Mertesacker – who had played just once during the season – and the inexperienced Rob Holding.
Stunningly though, Wenger’s defence held up, with Mertesacker and Holding both having fantastic games to largely keep Chelsea’s formidable attack – which contained Pedro, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard – in check. The Gunners took the lead after just 4 minutes through Alexis Sanchez, and when Chelsea’s Victor Moses was sent off in the second half, it looked like a remarkable victory was within reach.
The nerves of Gunners fans were shredded in the 76th minute when Costa equalised, though, and for a moment it looked like Conte’s side would complete a dramatic comeback – but just 3 minutes later, Arsenal regained the lead through an Aaron Ramsey header, giving Wenger an unlikely and dramatic FA Cup victory – his final one as Gunners boss.
