FA Cup Final - Live Text

Arsenal 3-2 Liverpool

96 Minute: It is, it is over. What a horrible way to lose a final but Liverpool’s fans and players can be proud of how they fought back. At half time, they were dead and buried but they turned it around and were incredibly unlucky not to get a third goal. Arsenal will be thrilled; a poor performance in the league was rescued by winning the Champions League and FA Cup. What an advert for English football, Arsenal are FA Cup champions!

95 Minute: The referee has spoken to his linesman and it has been… not given! Liverpool fans can’t believe it, Arsenal fans are going ecstatic. The replays have shown that most of the ball was over the line but not all over before Reina clawed it away. What a decision by the assistant referee. Reina will restart play, surely that’s the end?

94 Minute: Last chance saloon for Liverpool, they have a corner in the last act of this season. Cabaye to wip it in, met by the head of TORRES! OOOOHHHH IT’S IN! IS IT? TORRES RUNS AWAY SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF BUT THE REFEREE HAS GONE TO HIS LINESMAN. Drama at its highest here at Wembley!

92 Minutes: Cabaye again has hit the bar! He curled in his free kick from 25 yards out and it hit the underside of the bar and out. Can you get any more unlucky?

90 Minutes: Liverpool was an inch or so from equalizing. Ramires fired a cross, across the face of goal and Torres was a shoe size away of connecting and equalizing. Four minutes left at Wembley!

88 Minutes: PENALTY MISSED. It’s gone wide! Ronaldo tried to put it straight out of the keepers reach but it went wide. Ronaldo is incredibly annoyed with himself as he punches the floor in frustration. Can Liverpool get that equalizer?

87 Minutes: PENALTY TO ARSENAL. Arsenal hit Liverpool on the break, Ronaldo lead the chase and on the edge of the area he found Carzorla on the right who cut inside in the penalty area and was bundled over by Godin. Ronaldo with a chance to become the first player to score an FA Cup final hat trick in 60 years…

85 Minutes: Liverpool has to be careful of an Arsenal counter attack when they are piling men forward. It nearly cost them just then when Vidic’s clearance fell in to Liverpool’s half with Ronaldo chasing but Courtious hoofed it clear.

82 Minutes: Liverpool has hit the post! Cabaye shot from 30 yards out was pushed on to the post, Reina proving his worth there.

79 Minutes: With ten minutes to go, Liverpool is piling on the pressure. Torres has come on for Nesta and he nearly set up Mata with a beautiful cross to the back post but he volleyed it over.

76 Minutes: GOAL – ARSENAL 3-2 LIVERPOOL. Is this going to be a repeat of Istanbul? Liverpool has got their second. Cabaye volleyed a ball which split the Arsenal defence, Eto’o ran on to it and poked it past Reina. Sneijder has come on for Rooney as Arsenal’s gaffer sees the best form of defence is attacking.

73 Minutes: Arsenal could have sealed it then, Carzorla’s cross was met by Ronaldo’s header which smacked against the inside of the post and in to Courtious’ hands.

70 Minutes: Liverpool just had half a chance then when Eto’s snap shot was saved comfortably by Reina. Juan Mata has come on for Romeu for Liverpool.

67 Minutes: Liverpool should have got their second, Kroos whipped in a free kick and Nesta header looked destined to go in the back of the net only for it to hit the back of Eto’o.

64 Minutes: Liverpool has brought on Yohan Cabaye for Essien as they look to replace strength with creativity.

61 Minutes: Santi Carzorla has come on for Arsenal and he nearly made an instant impact on the game. He was played through by Rooney and he tried to curl it round the keeper but it hit the outside of the post.

58 Minutes: Liverpool has the momentum now and wants that second goal! Kroos played a ball over for Eto’o to run on to, he beat Barzaghli and smacked the ball towards goal but Reina’s finger tips saved Arsenal as he tipped it on to the bar and over.

54 Minutes: GOAL – ARSENAL 3-1 LIVERPOOL. It has! Liverpool have a goal back through Ivanovic . An inswinging free kick from Kroos met the head of Ivanovic who rose highest and flicked it on and in to the net. Game on!

51 Minutes: GOAL – ARSENAL 4-0 LIVERPOOL… Oh no it’s been disallowed! Ronaldo played through Rooney who rounded the keeper and tapped it in but Rooney was a fraction offside. Surely this will give Liverpool motivation to get back in to this game?!

48 Minutes: Liverpool are having more possession off the ball at the moment, they need to turn it in to goals if they want to have any chance of getting back in to this game.

Second Half - 45 Minutes: Were back under way at Wembley, can Liverpool restore pride to their supporters or will Arsenal continue their demolition job?

46 Minutes: Half time at Wembley and Arsenal are in cruise control, 3-0 up and apart from one scare, they have never looked like conceding. How can LSTD pick up his team?

42 Minutes: GOAL – ARSENAL 3-0 LIVERPOOL. Complete capitulation, on the stroke of half time their wounds have deepened. Coentrao crossed in for Rooney whose header was saved but it fell to Ronaldo’s feet and he tapped it in. 3 and easy for Arsenal.

39 Minutes: Arsenal should have had a third then, Silva delivered the corner and Vidic’s header was cleared off the line by Kroos. Liverpool is hanging on, just.

36 Minutes: Arsenal are banging on the door now, they want a third to seal the game. However, Liverpool has been in these sorts of positions in cup finals, they have experience but they are not up to it today.

34 Minutes: GOAL – ARSENAL 2-0 LIVERPOOL. There problems have just increased. Ronaldo has scored one of the FA Cup finals all-time greatest goals. He collected the ball inside his own half and ran at the Liverpool defence. The Liverpool defence backed off him and beat Nesta with ease and knocked the ball past Godin and then chipped it over the keeper. That’s why he’s the best in the Premier League.

31 Minutes: Liverpool is in shock since that goal and hasn’t been able to get going since. I think all they have to hope for is to keep it at 1-0 and try sort out their problems at half time.

28 Minutes: Arsenal should have had a penalty here, Ronaldo cut inside the penalty area from the left and just took a touch to the right and Ivanovic brought him down and the referee gave no foul but a yellow card to Ronaldo for diving.

25 Minutes: Arsenal are piling on the pressure now, De Rossi clipped a ball over the defence for Ronaldo who headed it down to Rooney who tried to hit on the half volley with the outside of his foot and it just went past the post.

22 Minutes: GOAL - ARSENAL 1-0 LIVERPOOL. Against the run of play for the past 10 minutes, Arsenal has taken the lead. Silva cut inside and played a ball through for Alves who then floated a ball in for Wayne Rooney whose looping header evades Courtious and goes in.

19 Minutes: Liverpool had a massive chance just then! Ramires bombed it down the left flank to the byline, he pulled the back for Eto’o whose shot was blocked but it fell to Kroos who was unmarked but the young German smacked it against the foot of the post. Very unlucky for Liverpool but these are the improvements LSTD will want to see.

16 Minutes: A hint of handball in the area by Nesta, he could do nothing about it as Rooney powered a shot at goal. I’ve seen them given before though.

13 Minutes: Liverpool are showing signs of improvement now, they are having more time on the ball and Essiens long ranger went wildly over the bar. Good signs for Liverpool.

10 Minutes: Liverpool is struggling to get in the game at the moment and Arsenal should have taken the lead. A long ball was sent up from Vidic which Ronaldo elegantly controlled, with his back to goal outside of the box, he held it up then back heeled it to the onrushing Coentrao who smashed the ball over with the keeper at his mercy. That was a big chance for Arsenal.

7 Minutes: Arsenal dominating at the moment, Dani Alves surged down the right flank and delivered in a low cross to Rooney whose shot clipped the bar from 10 yards out.

4 Minutes: Half chance for Arsenal when Nesta misjudges the bounce of the ball and it loops over him for Ronaldo to run on too. He attempts to shoot but Godin just gets back in time to block the shot out for a throwing. Great defending.

1 Minute: Arsenal attacking from left to right in their home strip while Liverpool are in their change strip.

After that poor rendition of the national anthem, Arsenal gets us underway in this huge game.

The players are out and Wembley is rocking, a sea of red across the stadium. A great sight and the national anthem will now be sung by… Mr Reporter?!

Both teams in the tunnel now, it’s Liverpool vs Arsenal contesting for the oldest cup competition in the world AND ITS LIVE.

The players have went back in to the changing rooms after warming up and there an unconfirmed reports that the national anthem will be sung by a shock guest. I wonder who it could be…

Plenty of managers in attendance today, Wilshere, Vincent and TJ are in a box while N21 is outside Wembley asking for tickets to get in. New manager’s ay…

Team News for Arsenal: Arsenal line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Reina; Dani Alves, Vidic, Barzagli, Cole; De Rossi, Busquets; D.Silva, W.Rooney, F.Coentrao; C.Ronaldo.

Team News for Liverpool: Liverpool start in a 4-1-4-1 formation: Courtois, Ivanovic, Godin, Nesta, Azpili; Romeu; Isla, Essein, Kroos, Ramires; Eto'o

Hello and welcome to Wembley for the FA Cup final between two of England’s biggest clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal. Both teams won a European competition a couple days ago, the FA Cup would be the icing on the cake for both teams. Liverpool are known to upset the odds as proven by beating Birmingham on penalties but Arsenal with the likes of Ronaldo, Vidic and Rooney will look to ensure there will be no shocks today. Team news will be coming up soon.