Arsenal crush Aston Villa to win FA Cup final 2015: as it happened

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• Wenger is an all-time great: 5 things we learned from the Cup Final
• Match report from Wembley: Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa
•

20.55

That's me done for the day. I'll leave the last word to the FA, seeing as it's their competition and all:

Thanks very much for reading, I'm off to see if I can get a free drink from Arsene Wenger. Goodnight!

20.25

Firm fans' favourite Per Mertesacker becomes an even firmer fans' favourite:

20.23

Arsene Wenger, watching the pennies:

20.14

Tim Sherwood has finally unlocked the Aston Villa dressing-room door and faced the media:

20.12

John Percy's Wembley player ratings are in - and it makes great reading if your name is Alexis Sanchez; less so should you be called Charles N'Zogbia:

Alexis

Sanchez

Five goals in four appearances at Wembley now for the £33 million forward and this strike was astonishing, to be replayed for years. Singled out for physical attention from Villa but never stopped wanting the ball.

20.08

This man is Arsenal's most famous supporter and nobody seems to know why:

20.04

Just how long is it since your team won a trophy? Well, we have computers here at the Telegraph and we've made them work it all out. Some highlights - Arsenal have gone 24 minutes without a trophy, Chelsea a whole 27 days and 3 hours, it's been two years and 37 days for Manchester United....and a shade under half a century since Hull City claimed the old Division Three title. Knowledge, eh?

19.58

After a trying, even dispiriting, week for football, Henry Winter writes that Arsenal reminded us all of the joys the game still offers:

After the stench of the Fifa Congress, this FA Cup final came as a welcome breath of fresh air. After the shameless grandstanding in Zurich of the most dangerous man in world football, Sepp Blatter, true football folk congregated at Wembley.

Many of those flocking to support Walcott, Sanchez, Mertesacker and company wore yellow ribbons, harking back to 1971 when they first donned yellow in the Cup final, a game made memorable by Charlie George’s goal and celebration. As Blatter thinks only of the politics and the power, the dollars and the votes, Arsenal supporters were reveling in their history – by George - and in their present embodied by Walcott, Sanchez and Mertesacker.

Such emotions and qualities cannot be quantified. Just because Blatter is in charge of world football doesn’t mean that everything in the game has to have a price-tag attached. These Wembley goals meant everything to Walcott, Sanchez and Mertesacker.

19.45

Arsenal's trophy cabinet, expressed thus:

19.40

The legacy of Jack Grealish's first glimpse of football's biggest stages:

19.37

Up goes the trophy, out comes the glitter, and on comes "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield. Tradition.

19.36

Arsenal are about to lift the cup for the 12th time. Jason Burt's match report is in, meanwhile:

This was a cuffed final more than a Cup final. Arsenal were so utterly dominant; Aston Villa so easily beaten that the 134th FA Cup final was a no-contest, a mis-match on an embarrassing scale for the claret and blue.

19.34

As the dejected Villa players climbs those steps for their losers' medals, here's our Jeremy Wilson with the five things he learned from the final - he says Arsene Wenger has earned his place among the greats.

Two doubles and an unbeaten season are not easily surpassed but he also now stands clear of Sir Alex Ferguson among every modern-day manager with a sixth FA Cup win. More significant still is the sense that Wenger himself is back.

Trophies in consecutive years is a powerful answer to those who so emphatically dismissed the feat of staying in the Champions League while building a new stadium. His authority and wider standing with the supporters is also on the up for the first time in perhaps a decade.

The next two challenges are obvious. Winning a first Champions League and establishing a meaningful rivalry with Jose Mourinho at the very top of the Premier League.

19.31

Another look at that goal from Alexis Sanchez, which was basically Roberto Di Matteo's famous Cup final goal, but on steroids:

19.27

Arsene Wenger speaks:

We showed today we are a real team, we can deal with pressure. I had a difficult week - difficult decisions to make, from the keeper to the centre-forward. I'm very proud that our club is doing well - if I'm personally doing well, it's even better!

Full time

Arsenal have won the FA Cup for the 12th time

Arsene Wenger also breaks a record - that's his sixth FA Cup win as a manager, and certainly one of the easiest. Theo Walcott - who always speaks very well after matches - is on the BBC, and says "this team is blessed...and this is massive for me."

GOAL! Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa (Giroud 90 min + 3)

Wilshere feeds Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose low cross is easily converted by Giroud at the near post. That'll soften the blow of being left out of the staring eleven.

90 min +2

Into the second of three added minutes. The first time Arsenal have dropped their work-rate, as they see this one out. Cue obligatory shot of....

90 min

There's a glimpse of a chance for Grealish, and then Agbonlahor, but Arsenal won't show any mercy here. The superb Alexis Sanchez is granted a standing ovation as he goes off to be replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

88 min

A lesson for any youngsters watching:

86 min

Another penalty shout for Villa - Grealish is dragged down in the area, but Moss is again unmoved. Sherwood this time is furious.

84 min

Some unbridled Arsenal joy. Those are Mertesacker's legs poking out of that pile of celebrating bodies:

80 min

Francis Coquelin bundles Agbonlahor over on the edge of the box, but the referee waves play on. At first glance, it looked like a penalty, but - in all honesty - it makes not a jot of difference. Sherwood is unlikely to complain, either.

78 min

Ramsey wants a goal - he slaloms into the Villa box, but overplays it. Arsenal are still piling forward for another to complete Sherwood's misery.

76 min

Theo Walcott is found by a lovely curling through-ball from Ramsey, and he he goes for the emphatic sidefoot into the car corner....but fluffs it. His afternoon is over - Olivier Giroud replaces him - but it's been a job well done. Mesut Ozil has also been replaced by Jack Wilshere.

74 min

While the first half raced through on pure adrenaline, this second period has skipped along happily for Arsenal - just 15 minutes or so left for Villa to endure before they claim their runners-up medals.

72 min

Alexis Sanchez, as usual, is still scrapping for every ball as if Arsenal are a goal down. He's had a great season, and given Wenger's side a great big dose of something they've traditionally lacked in recent seasons: bottle.

70 min

Villa make their third and final change - Ashley Westwood is replaced by Carlos Sanchez. Grealish is going to get a character-building 90 minutes here.

68 min

Leandro Bacuna replaces the injured Kieran Richardson, who probably didn't want to experience much more of this. Nor does this chap, by the looks of it:

67 min

The Villa fans have been dumbfounded into silence, while the Arsenal faithful are in party mood. The FA Cup holders have had 14 shots to Villa's solitary one.

65 min

Gary Lineker rubs it in a bit:

GOAL! Arsenal 3-0 Aston Villa (Mertesacker 61 min)

Painfully simple for Arsenal, just painful for Aston Villa. In comes the Cazorla corner from the right, Benteke loses the big German and he...actually, he shoulders it into the corner and Arsenal's ribbons can sfaely stay tied to the cup - this is done and dusted.

61 min

A noted expert on goalscoring writes:

59 min

Arsenal fans are enjoying Theo Walcott's resurgence:

57 min

Cazorla twist and turns, endlessly, until he fires a left-foot shot that Given again has to parry. Villa haven't got an earthly in this match - Arsenal are too good, too fast, and 2-0 up.

56 min

GOAL DISALLOWED! Walcott is denied by more Given heroics, and the whistle goes for offside well before Sanchez can nod in the rebound.

55 min

Some pertinent facts:

54 min

A very modern lament from Jamie Carragher:

52 min

Ashley Westwood is the next Villa player to be booked, as he trips a rampant Sanchez. Villa make their change - N'Zogbia departs, and Agbonlahor is thrust into the fray.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-0 Aston Villa (Sanchez 50 min)

An absolute, unadulterated, full-fat belter from Alexis Sanchez. Head down, 30 yards out, he lets rip and it flies straight through Shay Given's gloves and down off the bar in mere microseconds.

49 min

Grealish almost gets the better of Bellerin on the left, but is eventually crowded out. Still no sign of those suspected Villa substitutions...

47 min

Arsenal straight back into their rhythm, interrupted only momentarily by a directionless surge from Benteke. Ramsey tries to catch Given out at the near post, but scuffs the shot.

46 min

The second half is upon us. No changes for either side, but Agbonlahor is warming up for Villa.

18.30

A reliable Theo Walcott? Well, I never.

18.28

A penny for his thoughts. Actually, he'd probably demand a "pony", or at least a "score".

18.24

Telegraph football correspondent Tinchy Stryder reports:

18.22

It wouldn't be a huge surprise to see Jack Grealish's shapely young calves being sacrificed at half-time, in favour of a more experienced body in the Villa midfield. Agbonlahor could also be called upon to give the isolated Benteke some support.

18.20

Another reminder of the dreaded commentator's curse:

Half time

Referee Jon Moss brings a frantic opening 45 minutes to an end. Tim Sherwood ended the half right on the edge of his technical area, deep in thought, looking like a manager seeing out a 0-5 rout. It might not necessarily be hairdryer time in the Villa dressing room, but he'll look to shake things up - they haven't mustered a single shot on target.

45 min

Two added minutes. Arsenal have another corner, but this time Villa clear with ease. I'd expect a change in Sherwood's personnel at the break.

43 min

Villa's response is to search desperately for something Benteke-shaped at the back post, but Arsenal are wise to that ploy by now.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Aston Villa (Walcott 40 min)

Monreal, with his left foot this time, clips in another cross. Sanchez rises highest to nod the ball back onto the path of Walcott, about 10 yards out, who rifles a left-foot shot through Given and into the back of the net. A fully deserved lead, and Villa haven't quite made it to the sanctuary of half-time.

39 min

Monreal clips in a cross with his weaker right foot, and it's too deep for the likes of Sanchez and Walcott to reach. Every Villa goal-kick is an oasis of hope right now.

37 min

A breathless first-half nears its end, and thoughts begin to turn to Sherwood's half-time team talk. Arsenal will, as it stands, be doing some serious dressing-room ruing, as they should be a goal up by now, without question. Now Delph is booked, as the pressure continues.

34 min

33 min

The cast-iron booking for Alan Hutton arrives after 33 minutes, after he flies into Sanchez. No complaints in the slightest - that's his 11th booking of the season.

32 min

Koscielny climbs above Vlaar to force Given into that superb save...

30 min

Villa enjoy a brief spell of possession, but Arsenal's midfield persistence pays off and Delph is given a lecture from the referee for tugging back Sanchez. Villa's respite was brief.

28 min

Ramsey races through again, after Walcott clips a pass into his path, but he can only find the gloves of Given under pressure. 62% possession from Arsenal so far, and it feels like 92%.

27 min

Arsenal continue to swarm all over the Villa defence, before the assistant's flag rescues them and allows a gathering of breath and thoughts.

24 min

ANOTHER GLORIOUS CHANCE! Theo Walcott is denied from six yards by a flying block by Kieran Richardson. It's surely only a matter of time here...

22 min

Szczesny once again is alert to the early Villa cross, from deep, towards Benteke and he races out to claim with ease. Sherwood's brain cogs will be whirring right now.

20 min

CHANCE! Ramsey really ought to have put Arsenal ahead. Ron Vlaar fails to clear a ball into the box, and Ramsey pounces on it, eight yards out, but pokes it over Given's crossbar.

19 min

Benteke scraps for the ball on the edge of the Arsenal area, and that's the sum total of Villa's attacking threat so far. Arsenal in total control.

17 min

CHANCE! Hector Bellerin races down the right and, eventually, feeds the ball into Aarom Ramsey at the near post, who stabs the ball into the side-netting. Portions of Wembley thought it was in...

15 min

SAVE! Shay Given rolls back the years with a stunning save to deny Koscielny. Given's strong right arm beat away the header, after Sanchez had clipped in a clever cross. Villa clinging on a bit.

14 min

Tom Cleverley goes into the book after tripping Nacho Monreal. That's basically Benteke's booking from 90 seconds ago.

13 min

Some quickfire passing almost sets Cazorla free of the Villa defence, but Ron Vlaar steps in to restore order. Szczesny then faces his first aerial assault from Benteke, but his punch clear is decisively long-distance.

11 min

Another corner for Arsenal, as Delph dives in to interrupt a flowing move between Ramsey and Cazorla. Benteke then fells Sanchez right on the by-line as the Chilean darts towards the box. He escapes a yellow, probably just because it's so early in the game.

8 min

The Gunners backline - Mertesacker in particular - have been granted the freedom of Wembley to play the ball, but Villa snap at Arsenal heels whenever the ball is finally played forward. Sanchez's first foray into Villa territory leads to Alan Hutton sliding into concede a corner.

6 min

A first touch for Shay Given, who has the late afternoon sunshine in his eyes for the first half. Benteke is now flagged offside, just as he was about to bear down on the Arsenal goal.

4 min

Delph's dainty midfield footwork engineers the ball superbly out to Hutton, whose cross is almost deflected out for a corner, but Szczesny gathers. Lively start.

2 min

Arsenal win a free-kick, which Cazorla swings in from the left, but Mertesacker is beaten to it. Arsenal build again, and Walcott momentarily looks to be clean through...but he's offside.

1 min

Tom Cleverley and the boldly-socked Grealish get us off and underway in the cup final. Jores Okore wins his first tussle with Theo Walcott.

17.29

Captains Fabian Delph and Per Mertesacker have the minor inconvenience of the pendants to deal with, before both teams gather in a pre-match huddle. It's game time.

17.28

Sherwood making history, perhaps

17.27

Aston Villa fans are in fine voice, if audioBoom are to be believed:

17.26

National anthem time.

17.22

Out come the teams for the 2015 FA Cup final. Little plastic flags everywhere, and Wembley sounds great. Aston Villa fan Prince William, Duke of Cambridge - and president of the FA - greets the teams. He shakes the Villa hands with a little more gusto, it has to be said.

17.21

A stirring rendition, that. Kick-off moments away!

17.19

It's time for Abide With Me. You know the words. Maybe.

17.18

Under a quarter-of-an-hour until kick-off. Kill a few of those by reading this curious tale of FA bureaucracy, relating to this banned Aston Villa flag:

17.12

Nice.

17.10

Lots of pre-match focus justifiably on Christian Benteke - he's got 12 goals in his last 12 games and, traditionally, he represents Arsenal's worst nightmare.

17.09

No love lost here:

17.07

Tim Sherwood also talks the talk:

We're all in this together, we're gonna win together or lose together.

17.06

Arsene Wenger speaks to BT:

It was a difficult week for me because I had many players who deserved to play today.

17.03

Here's Tim!

17.00

Henry Winter can cross another one off his Cup Final Cliché bingo card:

16.59

Cup Final news from north of the border - Inverness Caledonian Thistle have beaten Falkirk in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park.

16.57

Our man in the Midlands, John Percy, has written about the making of Jack Grealish.

The Brummie with the boyband haircut and socks rolled around his ankles is now one of the most highly-rated youngsters in the Premier League and will face Arsenal at Wembley this Saturday, determined to help propel his beloved Villa into Europe.

“All he’s ever wanted was to play for Villa - he didn’t have much choice really because I’ve been buying him season tickets since the age of four. Whatever happens, he won’t be changing because he doesn’t like the limelight.

“He’s not big time, he still lives at home with us and I can assure you he still tidies his room. He’s still picking his sisters up from school and having his mates round to play Fifa.”

16.54

A word, too, for veteran Villa goalkeeper Shay Given, who played for Newcastle against Arsenal in the final 17 years ago. He's been Villa's cup goalkeeper all season, and displaced Guzan completely since the start of May. He's probably be quite busy today, too.

16.52

This way for an evolving gallery of the sights and sounds of FA Cup Final day...

16.48

While, on the Arsenal bench, Giroud may feel aggrieved at his omission, Gabby Agbonlahor is perhaps the unluckiest one among the Villa subs. No doubt both will get their chance today at some point.

16.39

Nice, this. BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand - who announced his retirement from football earlier today - straightens the tie of young Jack Grealish:

16.36

Wembley Way, in the Cup Final sunshine.

16.34

Today's referee, by the way, is Jon Moss - who I am legally obliged to tell you is from Tyne and Wear.

16.32

Villa defender Ron Vlaar may have been hoping for Olivier Giroud rather than Theo Walcott, who's fresh from a final-day Premier League hat-trick against West Brom. Wojciech Szczesny is retained as Arsenal's designated cup keeper, ahead of their regular no.1 David Ospina.

16.28

Anyway, serious business now. Team news! Walcott starts! Szczesny gets the nod! 39-year-old Shay Given starts for Villa!

Arsenal: Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Ramsey, Ozil, Alexis, Walcott

Subs: Ospina, Gibbs, Gabriel, Flamini, Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud

Aston Villa: Given, Hutton, Vlaar, Okore, Richardson, Westwood, Delph (c), Cleverley, Grealish, N'Zogbia, Benteke.

Subs: Guzan, Bacuna, Sinclair, Agbonlahor, Cole, Sanchez, Baker

16.20

Referees get beer after the game! This is extraordinary.

"Additional beer on request."

16.07

Look! A team bus! Excitement!

15.59

An Ennio Morricone soundtrack for the BBC's opening montage, before Gary Lineker introduces us to an imposing studio trio of Alan Shearer, Dion Dublin and Martin Keown. They tuck straight into some light-hearted digs at each other's footballing ability over some retro footage. Standard.

15.56

Schadenfreude fans, this could be one for you - Arsenal have been demonstrating administrative prudence and adhering to local council regulations getting ahead of themselves and have planned their victory parade already: