Arsenal vs Aston Villa
Competition: English FA Cup Final.
Match date: 30 May 2015
Kick Off Time: 17:30 BST
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London, UK.
Probable lineups:
Arsenal: Szczeszny – Bellerin, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal - Coquelin, Cazorla - Ramsey, Ozil, Sanchez - Giroud.
Aston Villa: Given - Hutton, Okore, Vlaar, Cissokho - Cleverley, Westwood, Delph, Grealish - Benteke, Agbonlaho.
Arsenal ended third in the EPL and achieved direct
qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League but ended the season
with just one win from their final four games. They will be hopeful of
completing a successful defence of the trophy that they won with a
dramatic 3-2 victory over Hull City 12 months ago.
Players Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Mathieu Debuchy have both returned to training but may not be match fit to feature, along with Mikel Arteta. Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott are pushing for a start, but it remains to be seen if Wenger will change his lineup ahead of the crucial clash. Danny will miss the match after failing to recover from a knee injury.
Aston Villa won't enter the match in great form as they recorded an embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Southampton and a final-day loss at the hands of already-relegated Burnley. They finished one place above the relegation zone, with Sherwood's appointment in February proving crucial to the club securing survival. Anyway, a victory in the English FA Cup final would see the Villans qualify for the 2015-2016 Europa League at the expense of Southampton.
Player Kieran Richardson will hope to overcome a calf strain in time to start at left-back. Goalkeeper Shay Given is set to be fit while Ciaran Clark and Kozak remain sidelined. Elsewhere manager Tim Sherwood must choose between Okore and Baker at the back and N'Zogbia and Agbonlahor up front.
The Gunners are undefeated in 30 of their last 33 matches against Aston Villa in all competitions and have won the two matches between the sides this season by an aggregate score of 8-0. Arsenal's previous three trips to Wembley have all gone to extra-time.
As to possible goalscorers, Christian Benteke has scored 10 times in his last nine matches for Aston Villa while Olivier Giroud has failed to score in his last eight appearances for Arsenal.
Players Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Mathieu Debuchy have both returned to training but may not be match fit to feature, along with Mikel Arteta. Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott are pushing for a start, but it remains to be seen if Wenger will change his lineup ahead of the crucial clash. Danny will miss the match after failing to recover from a knee injury.
Aston Villa won't enter the match in great form as they recorded an embarrassing 6-1 defeat to Southampton and a final-day loss at the hands of already-relegated Burnley. They finished one place above the relegation zone, with Sherwood's appointment in February proving crucial to the club securing survival. Anyway, a victory in the English FA Cup final would see the Villans qualify for the 2015-2016 Europa League at the expense of Southampton.
Player Kieran Richardson will hope to overcome a calf strain in time to start at left-back. Goalkeeper Shay Given is set to be fit while Ciaran Clark and Kozak remain sidelined. Elsewhere manager Tim Sherwood must choose between Okore and Baker at the back and N'Zogbia and Agbonlahor up front.
The Gunners are undefeated in 30 of their last 33 matches against Aston Villa in all competitions and have won the two matches between the sides this season by an aggregate score of 8-0. Arsenal's previous three trips to Wembley have all gone to extra-time.
As to possible goalscorers, Christian Benteke has scored 10 times in his last nine matches for Aston Villa while Olivier Giroud has failed to score in his last eight appearances for Arsenal.
Arsenal last 5 matches:
04/05/15 Hull City 1 - 3 Arsenal
11/05/15 Arsenal 0 - 1 Swansea City
17/05/15 Manchester United 1 - 1 Arsenal
20/05/15 Arsenal 0 - 0 Sunderland
24/05/15 Arsenal 4 - 1 West Brom
Aston Villa last 5 matches:
25/04/15 Manchester City 3 - 2 Aston Villa
02/05/15 Aston Villa 3 - 2 Everton
09/05/15 Aston Villa 1 - 0 West Ham
16/05/15 Southampton 6 - 1 Aston Villa
24/05/15 Aston Villa 0 - 1 Burnley