Goals from Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sanchez saw Arsenal defeat 10-man Chelsea to deny them the double in one of the most entertaining Emirates FA Cup Finals of recent times.
Sanchez set the tone for an all-action afternoon with the opening goal on four minutes and it looked as though that might land the Gunners a record 13th trophy, especially once the Blues had Victor Moses sent off.
The Gunners had also hit the post three times in the contest, but Diego Costa levelled the score with a deflected volley was the match moved into the final 15 minutes.
Parity was short-lived though, as Ramsey headed his third goal in the competition this season to ensure it would be Arsenal’s day.
Sanchez put the Gunners ahead when he played the ball into the box, the Chelsea defence stood flat-footed waiting for Ramsey to be adjudged offside, but the Welshman did not move to the ball and Sanchez was quickest to react, sprinting into the box before powering a half-volley beyond Thibaut Courtois.
With a spring in their step, Arsenal continued to control the opening exchanges and Sanchez blazed a 25-yard drive just clear of the crossbar.
They got even closer after 15 minutes when Sanchez slid a pass through to Mesut Ozil who lifted an angled effort over Courtois but Chelsea captain Gary Cahill sped back to flick the ball away from the goal-line and a waiting Danny Welbeck.
Welbeck then headed an Ozil corner onto the post and the rebound fell too quickly to Ramsey, with the loose ball bouncing off his chest, onto the same upright and wide of Courtois’s goal.
Chelsea, free-scoring in the Premier League all season on their way to winning the title, were being stifled by a brilliant Arsenal back-three, marshalled by Per Mertesacker making his first start since April 2016.
