Arsenal vs Manchester United: FA Cup royalty seeking to recreate the magic of yesteryear

A total of 25 wins, 40 finals between them, both records, Arsenal and Manchester United are FA Cup royalty. The 1979 final was one of the most memorable in the history of the competition, Alan Sunderland deciding it late for Arsenal after United’s breathless fightback from 2-0 down. And of course 20 years later when Peter Schmeichel and Ryan Giggs at opposite ends of the Villa Park pitch scripted one of the great transformations in what would be a historic year for United.

That was the last great flowering of the competition. As holders a year later United didn’t defend on the spurious grounds of helping the FA’s bid to host the 2006 World Cup by playing in a Fifa club confection in Brazil. The old pot never recovered and continues to limp along doing what it can to maintain a semblance of relevance in football’s ever-changing world.

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Those days when the cup was 100 per cent football exotica are now the sepia memories of old men. Oh for the time when a trip to Wembley in May was still hugely meaningful for the players, when the event was the subject of dedicated television programming, including a special Cup Final ‘It’s A Knockout’ and scene setters outside the team hotels in Park Lane and later arriving at Wembley. Magical stuff.

Game time

Today even a meeting as richly storied as this passes for routine in the early rounds, quite probably an occasion for both managers to rest some players. United’s interim coach has already promised game time to Alexis Sanchez on his return to the Emirates and with Romelu Lukaku parked for most of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign we can expect a start for the Belgian.

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Unai Emery’s cheeky inquiry about the availability on loan of United’s lightly utilised Ivorian centre-back Eric Bailly introduced a degree of intrigue. Was this a deliberate attempt to disrupt Solskjaer’s preparation, not to mention destabilise the player, who, according to the boss, is another of those in need of a run and will feature?

The two teams meet at a time of tumult at both clubs, each seeking to makes sense of the world in a period of regime change. That it has taken United six years following the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson to return to itself under Solskjaer points to the decent fist Emery has made of remaking Arsenal in the immediate post-Arsene Wenger period. The victory over Chelsea last week was a restating of the Emery template, pace and power going forward, 10-strong in defence with the attackers frequently the first responders when possession is lost.

Emery love

Solskjaer is a fan. “Unai, when he had Sevilla, they beat Molde in the European Cup so I have had the pleasure of meeting him before and I think they have made a very good signing there,” Solskjaer said. “He is tactically very good, [with] high energy. I don’t know what team he is going to play. He has got loads of different tactics to come up with.”

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The feeling appears mutual. “They are a different team [under Solskjaer]. The same players but with a big performance and big confidence,” Emery said. “Now they are very dangerous, a big test.” Having suffered something of a wobble following a run of 22 unbeaten games, Emery hopes to recreate the emotion that underpinned the evisceration of Chelsea. “In our stadium, with our support we feel very well and want to create a new atmosphere.” Even in broken English Emery conveys a sense of calm and control. Resisting the urge to tinker to protect against the demands of a critical month ahead is the biggest challenge facing both managers.

Emery is only just beginning to absorb the history and meaning of this fixture. For Solskjaer the rivalry defined his playing experience. “It was the one fierce rivalry when I played,” he said. “It was the two of us, they win the double, we win the treble. The games against us were fantastic. We had a great team, they did as well. That famous back four. I think I scored once against David Seaman, the French connection in midfield, Pires, Petit. They were just great games you were always looking forward to.

“‘99 is such an important game. When Peter saves that pen from Denis Bergkamp that gives us the advantage and we win the treble. If Bergkamp scores that pen then they win the double. That was the standout for me. I was substituted so I watched Giggsy’s goal from the sideline. What a goal that was.”

Sliding doors

Indeed. It took United into a final against Newcastle. Victory was a formality. It was the sense of occasion Solskjaer remembers, nostalgia turning his eyes a kind of misty blue as he talks us through it. “Walking out on the pitch was a proud moment for me. Growing up in Norway it was always the last game [of season] and always broadcast on telly, the one game we knew were going to watch. I still remember Norman Whiteside’s left-footed curler after Kevin Moran was sent off [vs Everton 1985].”

He could have gone on. The hope must be that Solskjaer imbues his players with the same degree of affection, and that they evince from Arsenal a response worthy of the clubs’ shared past. Then we shall all be winners.