Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties

The FA Cup Final
Saturday 21 May 2005
£1,000,000 to the winning club



FA Cup Final hero Jens Lehmann insists he will stay with Arsenal after his outstanding display against Manchester United in Cardiff.

The German goalkeeper has had an up and down year, being dropped at one stage of the season by manager Arsene Wenger.

But he finished the season on a high at the Millennium Stadium with a crucial save from Paul Scholes in the penalty shoot-out – not to mention three or four other superb stops in normal and extra-time.

Now he is laughing off any suggestion that he could leave Highbury in the summer.

He said: "I am pleased I am playing but I never feel safe in this team. I just have to perform and if I’m doing it well then I will be picked. I will be here next season."

Lehmann appeared a reluctant hero as he faced reporters after the Final, insisting his wonder save from Scholes’ penalty was no more than he expected.

"That’s my job, I wanted to win it," he said. "The whole team has done fantastically to win the trophy.

"Last year we won the Premiership title, now we have The FA Cup. I’m satisfied. It could have been more but it could have been less as well.

"I know this game was against Manchester United but for me it didn’t matter who we had to beat it just mattered that we won the trophy. I’m very pleased that it was a happy end to the season.

"As for the penalty save, it was intuitive, I hadn’t planned anything. He had scored against with me with a penalty before but that made no difference. I’m glad for the team that I saved it."