2005 FA Cup final - wikipedia 2005 FA Cup final 2005 FA Cup Final The match programme cover Event 2004 -- 05 FA Cup Arsenal Manchester United 0 0 After extra time Arsenal won 5 -- 4 on penalties Date 21 May 2005 Venue Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Man of the Match Wayne Rooney ( Manchester United ) Referee Rob Styles ( Hampshire ) Attendance 71,876 Weather Mostly cloudy, rain showers 10 ° C ( 50 ° F ) ← 2004 2006 → The 2005 FA Cup Final was a football match played between Arsenal and Manchester United on 21 May 2005 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the final match of the 2004 -- 05 FA Cup, the 124th season of English football 's primary cup competition, the FA Cup. Arsenal became the first team to win the FA Cup via a penalty shoot - out, despite being outplayed throughout the game, after neither side managed to score in the initial 90 minutes or in 30 minutes of extra time. The shoot - out finished 5 -- 4 to Arsenal, with Patrick Vieira scoring the winning penalty after Paul Scholes ' shot was saved by Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann. As both teams were in the highest tier of English football, the Premier League, Arsenal and Manchester United entered the competition in the third round. Matches up to the semi-final were contested on a one - off basis, with a replay taking place if the match ended in a draw. Both clubs only needed one replay along the way to the final ; Arsenal 's tie against Sheffield United in the fifth round was decided by a penalty shootout, whereas Manchester United overcame non-league Exeter City in the third round, after the original tie ended goalless. Protests over the impending takeover of Manchester United by American businessman Malcolm Glazer had threatened to overshadow the final, though demonstrations in Cardiff required little intervention from the police. Both managers for the final made surprising changes to their team ; Arsène Wenger unconventionally deployed a defensive formation, while Sir Alex Ferguson left midfielder Ryan Giggs on the bench. Manchester United dominated the match, creating four times as many shots as their opponents, but struggled to find the breakthrough. In extra time, Arsenal 's José Antonio Reyes was sent off for a second bookable offence, becoming only the second player to be sent off in an FA Cup final. The British press unanimously agreed that Arsenal were fortunate to win ; Wenger himself admitted so in his press conference afterwards. A television audience of over 480 million worldwide watched the final ; in the United Kingdom, coverage of the match peaked at 12.8 million, making it the highest - rated game in Cup history since the 1996 final. The departures of captains Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane before the year end, coupled with the changing objectives of both clubs, meant the 2005 final is considered as the natural end point in the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United under Ferguson and Wenger. Contents 1 Route to the final 1.1 Arsenal 1.2 Manchester United 2 Pre-match 2.1 Planned protests 3 Match 3.1 Team selection 3.2 Summary 3.2. 1 First half 3.2. 2 Second half 3.2. 3 Extra time 3.2. 4 Penalty shootout 3.3 Match details 3.4 Statistics 4 Post-match 5 Aftermath and legacy 6 References 7 Further reading Route to the final Main article : 2004 -- 05 FA Cup The FA Cup is English football 's primary cup competition. Clubs in the Premier League enter the FA Cup in the third round and are drawn randomly with the remaining clubs. If a match is drawn, the tie is replayed at the ground of the away team from the original match. As with league fixtures, FA Cup matches are subject to change in the event of games being selected for television coverage and this often can be influenced by clashes with other competitions. In September 2004, it was announced that the Millennium Stadium was chosen as the venue for the semi-finals, in addition to the final. Arsenal Round Opposition Score 3rd Stoke City ( H ) 2 -- 1 4th Wolverhampton Wanderers ( H ) 2 -- 0 5th Sheffield United ( H ) 1 -- 1 Sheffield United ( A ) 0 -- 0 ( 4 -- 2 pen ) 6th Bolton Wanderers ( A ) 1 -- 0 SF Blackburn Rovers ( N ) 3 -- 0 Key : ( h ) = Home venue ; ( a ) = Away venue ; ( n ) = Neutral venue. Arsenal 's cup run started with a home tie against Stoke City. The visitors took the lead just before the break, but goals from José Antonio Reyes and Robin van Persie in the second half meant Arsenal won 2 -- 1. They then faced Wolverhampton Wanderers at home in the next round ; a goal apiece from Patrick Vieira and Fredrik Ljungberg secured a comfortable 2 -- 0 victory. Arsenal 's opponent in the fifth round was Sheffield United. After 35 minutes Dennis Bergkamp was sent off for his apparent push on Danny Cullip. With eleven minutes of normal time remaining, Robert Pirès scored for Arsenal, but the team conceded a late penalty which Andy Gray converted. The equaliser for Sheffield United meant the match was replayed at Bramall Lane on 1 March 2005. Both teams played out a goalless draw after full - time and throughout extra-time, so the tie was decided by a penalty shootout. Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia saved two penalties, which ensured progress into the quarter - finals. Bolton Wanderers hosted Arsenal at the Reebok Stadium in the sixth round of the competition. Ljungberg scored the only goal of the tie after just three minutes ; he had an opportunity to extend Arsenal 's lead in stoppage time, but hit the ball over from six yards. It was described by BBC Sport as the `` most glaring miss of the match, if not the entire season. '' Arsenal faced Blackburn Rovers in the semi-final which was played on 16 April 2005. Two goals from Van Persie and one from Pirès gave Arsenal a 3 -- 0 win, in a match marred by Blackburn 's aggressive tactics. Manchester United Round Opposition Score 3rd Exeter City ( H ) 0 -- 0 Exeter City ( A ) 2 -- 0 4th Middlesbrough ( H ) 3 -- 0 5th Everton ( A ) 2 -- 0 6th Southampton ( A ) 4 -- 0 SF Newcastle United ( N ) 4 -- 1 Key : ( h ) = Home venue ; ( a ) = Away venue ; ( n ) = Neutral venue. Manchester United, the holders of the FA Cup, began their defence of the trophy with a home tie against non-league Exeter City. United had made several first team changes and struggled to find a breakthrough in the tie. Even with the second half introductions of Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo, the visitors held on for a goalless draw. The match was replayed at Exeter 's home ground, St James Park on 19 January 2005. Ronaldo scored the opening goal of the match in the ninth minute and Wayne Rooney added a second, three minutes from normal time. Manchester United 's opponents in the fourth round was Middlesbrough. Rooney scored twice in the team 's 3 -- 0 victory -- he lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for his first goal and volleyed it for his second. Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren credited Rooney 's performance afterwards and said he made the difference in the tie. Everton hosted Manchester United in the next round at Goodison Park. A goal apiece from Quinton Fortune and Ronaldo in either half ensured a 2 -- 0 win. Southampton was Manchester United 's opponent in the sixth round. After two minutes at St Mary 's United took the lead ; a shot by Roy Keane near the penalty area hit Southampton 's Peter Crouch and deflected into the goal. Ronaldo scored United 's second and additional goals from Scholes meant they progressed into the last four of the competition ; the final score was 4 -- 0. In the semi-final Manchester United faced Newcastle United at the Millennium Stadium. They took the lead in the 19th minute when Ruud van Nistelrooy scored, and Scholes extended the team 's advantage just before half time. Van Nistelrooy made it 3 -- 0 in the 58th minute, before Shola Ameobi scored what proved a mere consolation a minute later, as Ronaldo added United 's fourth late on. Pre-match The final marked the fifth meeting between the two clubs in the 2004 -- 05 season. Despite finishing six points ahead of Manchester United in the league, Arsenal had lost both league fixtures between the clubs, as well as a League Cup fifth - round tie, which was played out by the clubs ' fringe and reserve team players. Arsenal had won the season 's first encounter in the FA Community Shield, also at the Millennium Stadium, by a 3 -- 1 scoreline. The clubs had met in an FA Cup final before -- in 1979, when Arsenal won 3 -- 2. Manchester United were appearing in their 17th FA Cup Final, their second in as many years, and had won the FA Cup on 11 of their previous 16 appearances ( including beating Milwall in the 2004 final ). Two of these victories had yielded a domestic double ( in 1994 and 1996 ) and in 1999 they had won the FA Cup as part of a unique Treble, consisting of the cup, the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal were also appearing in their 17th Cup final -- their fourth in five years. They had won the cup nine times previously, most recently in 2003, when they beat Southampton in the final. The match was played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for the fifth year in a row. Meetings between Arsenal and Manchester United were keenly contested during the 2000s and highly publicised by the media ; the cup final this season had added significance as neither club won the league after a decade of dominance, and it was their only chance of silverware. The emergence of Chelsea, who were crowned league champions in April, had presented a long - term threat to Arsenal and Manchester United 's duopoly on English football, as they were financed by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Chelsea were accused of `` tapping - up '' Arsenal defender Ashley Cole in January, and were linked to Manchester United 's Rio Ferdinand. Wenger welcomed Chelsea 's emergence, describing them as the `` third force '' in English football, but he raised concerns over their conduct and what he perceived as artificial growth. Asked whether Chelsea could dominate for the foreseeable, Wenger said : `` I feel yes, because they are a financially doped club. They have enhancement of performances through financial resources which are unlimited. For me, it 's a kind of doping because it 's not in any way linked to their resources. '' Despite the absence of Thierry Henry, ruled out through injury, and Arsenal 's poor recent record against Manchester United, Wenger believed his team were more than capable of winning the match : `` What is good in football is that it is not predictable. (... ) You act now like it is a decade that we have n't beaten Manchester United -- it 's not true. It 's two games. '' It was reported on the eve of the final that Philippe Senderos would start ahead of first - teamer Sol Campbell. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson dismissed suggestions that his team had been over physical in previous meetings against Arsenal. Referring back to the league fixture in October 2004, he told reporters : `` We committed three fouls on Reyes, for instance, but that hardly constitutes The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, does it ? There were six by them on Cristiano Ronaldo. '' He questioned the character of Arsenal 's players after they lost their unbeaten record, and likened their protest to propaganda, as a way to disguise their crisis -- ``... it was convenient for them to say they were kicked off the park. '' United had struggled to score goals in the lead up to the final, and Ferguson stressed the importance of his team taking their chances. `` Big games are usually decided that way. They are so close so that whoever gets in front has an advantage, '' he said. Planned protests The build - up to the final had focused upon many Manchester United fans ' discontent at their takeover by American businessman and sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer, and large demonstrations were planned inside and outside the Millennium Stadium. Despite this, the final was played in the rain and only a small group of around 100 supporters held protests and sang anti-Glazer songs. The police were out in force but did not have any trouble to deal with. Match Team selection Wenger opted for a 4 -- 5 -- 1 formation, with Bergkamp playing as a lone striker. The absence of Henry also opened a place in midfield for Gilberto Silva, while José Antonio Reyes and Pirès were selected on the wings ahead of Ljungberg and Robin van Persie, who were both named as substitutes. As anticipated, Senderos 's form saw him selected at centre - back ahead of Campbell, despite the England international 's return from injury. Ferguson had a defensive selection dilemma ahead of the final, with both of his starting full - backs, Gabriel Heinze ( ankle ) and Gary Neville ( groin ), having suffered injuries. Neville eventually recovered enough to make the substitutes ' bench, despite only playing in one of the team 's last five games, but Heinze missed the game entirely, Mikaël Silvestre taking his place at left - back. Neville 's absence meant that John O'Shea started at right - back. Neville was joined on the bench by winger Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Tim Howard ; Giggs ' omission was a surprise, and it meant that Darren Fletcher started on the right wing, while Ronaldo played on the left. Howard, on the other hand, had been competing for the number 1 jersey with Roy Carroll all season, and it was ultimately the Northern Irishman who was picked. Roy Keane was appearing in his seventh FA Cup Final having previously played in the 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2004 finals. This was the most number of finals for a player in the post-war period ; by 2010 however, Ashley Cole had reached his eighth final. Summary First half Manchester United kicked the game off, and also fashioned the first chance of the game ; Ronaldo beat Lauren on the left wing to put over a cross, only for Scholes to head the ball over the crossbar after losing his marker. Two minutes later, a break from José Antonio Reyes had Carroll scampering across from his goal to meet the Spaniard, forcing Reyes wide enough to allow the United defence time to get back. Manchester United had the ball in the back of the net on 27 minutes, when Ferdinand turned in the rebound after Jens Lehmann saved from Rooney, but the assistant referee ruled that Ferdinand was offside. After a brief Arsenal attack, Silvestre played a long, diagonal ball to Van Nistelrooy on the right wing. The Dutch forward controlled the ball and then outpaced Cole to the goal line ; he then cut the ball back to Rooney, whose first - time shot was turned over the bar by Lehmann. The consequent corner broke to Rooney on the edge of the penalty area, but his shot was deflected behind for another corner, which Scholes took. The England midfielder floated the ball over to the edge of the penalty area, where Rooney was waiting, only to volley it just over the bar. In the closing stages of the first half, Van Nistelrooy got his first shot on goal, turning Senderos only to send the ball trickling along the floor for Lehmann to save comfortably. The first half finished with a foul on Rooney, who had done well to break free of challenges from Cole, Vieira and Senderos, who eventually brought Rooney down. The English forward took the free kick himself, but it went over the bar to cheers from the Arsenal fans and the sound of the referee 's half - time whistle. Second half Manchester United fashioned the first chance of the second half after just three minutes, when Rooney cut inside from the right along the face of the penalty area, but his left - footed shot was blocked away for a corner kick. Soon after, Van Nistelrooy received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and held it up before playing a through - ball to Keane, but the Irishman 's low cross was diverted behind by Kolo Touré before it reached Rooney. United then had their third chance in the space of five minutes when Ronaldo shot just wide from 25 yards, from the left corner of the penalty area. Throughout the match, Lauren committed several fouls on Ronaldo, and confronted the Portuguese winger early in the second half, before finally being booked for persistent fouling in the 62nd minute. Ronaldo took the free kick himself but put it just over the bar from 30 yards. In the 64th minute, Arsenal were awarded a free kick for an O'Shea foul on Reyes ; Bergkamp took the kick, which was headed away by Ferdinand, but only as far as Pirès, whose side - footed volley went over the bar. The free kick was to be Bergkamp 's last contribution to the final, as he was then substituted by Ljungberg in the 65th minute. United then went back downfield and Ronaldo took on Lauren, who dared not dive in for a tackle and risk a second yellow card. Ronaldo got past the Cameroonian full - back and then chipped a cross into the penalty area, but Van Nistelrooy was unable to make enough contact with the ball to force his header on target. A minute later, Silvestre found Rooney with another diagonal pass ; Rooney attempted to drive in a low cross, but it ended up heading towards goal and came back off the foot of the post. Fletcher was first to the ball but he fired a shot across the face of the goal and out for a goal kick. With their very next attack, United sent Ronaldo away down the left wing again ; he sent over another cross, but it was again too far in front of Van Nistelrooy. Reyes received his first yellow card in the 76th minute, when he was late in tackling Silvestre after the French defender had played a backpass to Carroll. The break in play allowed Manchester United to make their first substitution, bringing on Fortune for O'Shea, who appeared to be struggling with a calf injury. With six minutes left in normal time, United won a corner on the left hand side, which Ronaldo played short to Scholes. Scholes returned the ball to Ronaldo, who crossed it into the penalty area, where Keane was unmarked at the back post. The ball eventually broke to the United captain, who shot, only to see four Arsenal players between him and the goal, ready to block his effort behind for another corner. Lehmann came to meet the second corner kick, but missed the ball, allowing it to go all the way through to Van Nistelrooy ; the Dutchman headed the ball goalwards, but Ljungberg was on the line and headed it up onto the crossbar and away. Arsenal then made their second substitution, bringing on Van Persie in place of Cesc Fàbregas. As the match entered injury time at the end of the second half, Ronaldo made yet another run down the left wing, outpacing Lauren to Rooney 's through - ball. The ball broke back to Rooney 30 yards from goal, but his shot went over the bar. The second half finished with a Wes Brown cross from the right wing that made its way across the penalty area to Ronaldo, but the Portuguese could only head the ball straight at Lehmann. Extra time Manchester United brought Giggs on at the start of extra time, the Welshman taking Fletcher 's place in the midfield. They immediately tried to play him in down the left wing, but the pass was over-hit and went beyond Giggs. Arsenal finally got their first shot on target in the seventh minute of extra time, when a Van Persie free kick -- awarded for a foul by Silvestre -- forced a diving save from Carroll. Four minutes later, Manchester United appealed for a penalty kick when a cross from Giggs struck Cole, but replays showed that the ball hit the Arsenal full - back in the midriff. United sustained their attack, and the ball came to Scholes in the penalty area, but his shot on the turn was well saved by Lehmann. The resultant corner was taken short by Scholes, before it was played back to him ; his cross found Van Nistelrooy unmarked in the area, but the Dutchman headed over the bar from the edge of the goal area. United then had another penalty shout when Giggs volleyed a long ball from Scholes into Touré 's body and up onto the Ivorian 's hand, but referee Rob Styles turned their claims down. Arsenal then brought on Edu to replace Pirès for the remaining 15 minutes. The second half of extra time began with yet another chance for Manchester United, this time constructed from a Giggs break down the left wing, but Van Nistelrooy failed in his attempt to back - heel Giggs ' cross into the goal and the opportunity was wasted. Five minutes into the second half, Reyes committed another late tackle on Silvestre, for which he received a final warning from referee Styles. Reyes himself was then the victim of a late tackle by Scholes, who was shown a yellow card. The match threatened to descend into a mass brawl soon after, when Fortune caught Ljungberg in the face with a flailing arm and then committed a high tackle on Edu, provoking a reaction from the Arsenal players. A shoulder - charge by Rooney on Cole resulted in an Arsenal free kick on the left wing ; Van Persie swung the ball over and it was only cleared as far as Ljungberg, but the Swede struck a shot with his shin and the ball spun wide. With a couple of minutes left in the extra period, Manchester United won a free kick on the left corner of the Arsenal penalty area when Vieira lazily tripped Ronaldo and received a booking, but Giggs ' cross from the free kick was headed away. Meanwhile, Manchester United 's substitute goalkeeper, Howard, was seen warming up behind the goal, suggesting that he was preparing to come on for Carroll in the event of a penalty shootout ; however, no substitution was made. The referee added two minutes of injury time at the end of extra time, during which time Manchester United won another free kick, but Scholes ' shot was straight at the Arsenal defensive wall. Then, with just seconds left in regulation time, Ronaldo made a break towards the Arsenal half, only to be cynically body - checked by Reyes. Referee Styles made no hesitation and showed Reyes a second yellow card, making the Spaniard the second player to be sent off in an FA Cup Final, after Manchester United 's Kevin Moran in 1985. The full - time whistle went immediately after Reyes ' dismissal, and the match finished at 0 -- 0, making it the first FA Cup Final to result in a penalty shootout. Penalty shootout Van Nistelrooy took the first penalty for Manchester United, in front of the United fans, and sent Lehmann the wrong way to give United the early advantage. Lauren then converted the next penalty for Arsenal, before Scholes stepped up to take United 's second, only to see it saved by Lehmann, diving low to his right. The next six penalties were all scored -- Ljungberg, Van Persie and Cole for Arsenal, Ronaldo, Rooney and Keane for Manchester United -- leaving Vieira with the opportunity to win the FA Cup for his team. Although Carroll guessed the correct way to dive, Vieira 's kick was just out of his reach, giving Arsenal their 10th FA Cup. Match details Arsenal v Manchester United 21 May 2005 15 : 00 BST Arsenal 0 -- 0 ( a.e.t. ) Manchester United Report Penalties Lauren Ljungberg Van Persie Cole Vieira 5 -- 4 Van Nistelrooy Scholes Ronaldo Rooney Keane Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance : 71,876 Referee : Rob Styles ( Hampshire ) Arsenal Manchester United GK Jens Lehmann RB 12 Lauren 59 ' CB 28 Kolo Touré CB 20 Philippe Senderos LB Ashley Cole 16 ' CM 15 Cesc Fàbregas 86 ' CM Patrick Vieira ( c ) 118 ' CM 19 Gilberto Silva RW 7 Robert Pirès 105 ' LW 9 José Antonio Reyes 75 ', 120 ' CF 10 Dennis Bergkamp 65 ' Substitutes : GK 24 Manuel Almunia DF 23 Sol Campbell MF 8 Fredrik Ljungberg 65 ' MF 17 Edu 105 ' FW 11 Robin van Persie 86 ' Manager : Arsène Wenger GK 13 Roy Carroll RB 22 John O'Shea 77 ' CB 5 Rio Ferdinand CB 6 Wes Brown LB 27 Mikaël Silvestre 21 ' RM 24 Darren Fletcher 91 ' CM 16 Roy Keane ( c ) CM 18 Paul Scholes 112 ' LM 7 Cristiano Ronaldo SS 8 Wayne Rooney CF 10 Ruud van Nistelrooy Substitutes : GK Tim Howard DF Gary Neville DF 25 Quinton Fortune 77 ' MF 11 Ryan Giggs 91 ' FW 14 Alan Smith Manager : Sir Alex Ferguson Match officials Assistant referees : Jim Devine ( North Yorkshire ) Paul Canadine ( South Yorkshire ) Fourth official : Neale Barry ( Lincolnshire ) Man of the match Wayne Rooney ( Manchester United ) Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shootout if scores still level. Five substitutes named. Maximum of three substitutions. Statistics Statistic Arsenal Manchester United Goals scored 0 0 Possession 56 % 44 % Shots on target 8 Shots off target 12 Corner kicks 12 Offsides 6 Fouls 30 23 Yellow cards Red cards 0 Source : Post-match As the Arsenal players ran towards Vieira and Lehmann to celebrate, Ferguson and Keane were seen consoling various players and staff members. Mark Lawrenson, the BBC 's co-commentator for the final, summarised to his counterpart John Motson : `` Well, we must congratulate Arsenal on the way they took the penalties -- they were excellent (... ) But I have to say over the course of the 120 minutes, Manchester United have been mugged. '' Wenger conceded his opponents were the better side, but praised his team 's resolve, telling reporters : `` It was important to score the first goal and with neither team scoring it remained tight for a long, long period. There were some times in the second half when we were a bit lucky but we defended very well and to keep a clean sheet is good. '' He admitted his players had practiced taking penalties, but was quick to point out `` you do n't score because of the practising -- keeping your nerve is more important. '' Lehmann, who had been side - lined by Wenger during the course of the season, credited his teammates for scoring all five penalties, and described it as a `` big mental achievement. '' Cole called Arsenal 's win a ``... great team performance, we did n't have too many chances but we defended really well and battled really hard. '' Henry, who sat out the final due to injury expressed sympathy for Manchester United, and recollected a similar experience from his early Arsenal career : `` I know how they feel because we lost against Liverpool and did not deserve to lose. If your name is on the cup you win it. '' Wayne Rooney ( pictured in 2006 ) was chosen as man of the match. `` The coach decided to change the system to 4 -- 5 -- 1. It was different. We used to win by scoring lots of goals, but this time we won by being strong mentally and defensively. The only way we were going to win this final was on penalties. '' Robert Pirès, post match Ferguson was proud of his team 's performance, but admitted their failure throughout the season to convert chances into goals, had cost them once more. Of the game, he continued : `` In cup football, you need a break and we did n't get one. We 've had luck in the past, so you understand it can happen. It 's not a nice experience but it 's one you have to accept. '' Ferguson criticised the referee for failing to send Vieira off during extra-time as he fouled Rooney, and labelled Arsenal as `` boring '' for deploying negative tactics. Keane, like his manager, rued the missed opportunities and said it was a small consolation : `` We dominated but I 'm sure the Arsenal players wo n't be too bothered about that -- they 've got the winners ' medals and the cup and we have n't. '' Writing for The Daily Telegraph, pundit Alan Hansen felt the ease in which Manchester United dominated the final and Arsenal 's inability to vary tactics highlighted why Wenger needed to make changes in the close season. Hansen agreed with Ferguson that United 's lack of goal threat cost them on the day, but felt their future was rosier than Arsenal 's. Nonetheless, he was of the opinion that Chelsea manager José Mourinho had little to be concerned about, concluding his piece with the sentence : `` A London club did come away from Cardiff as big winners but it was not Arsenal, it was Chelsea. '' In the same newspaper, Paul Hayward praised the performances of Rooney and Ronaldo -- `` surely the best one - club pairing of under - 21s in world football, '' while ex-Arsenal player Alan Smith noted his former club 's win demonstrated how Wenger `` for the first time, practically, in his nine - year Highbury tenure, had set up his side with the opposition in mind. '' Capturing United 's sombre mood, The Times football correspondent Matt Dickinson wrote : `` The black shirts turned out not to be in protest at Glazer but a reflection of their mood after the first FA Cup Final to be decided by a penalty shoot - out. '' The match was broadcast live in the United Kingdom by both the BBC and Sky Sports, with BBC One providing the free - to - air coverage and Sky Sports 1 being the pay - TV alternative. BBC One held the majority of the viewership, with a peak audience of 12.8 million ( 67.1 % viewing share ), which made it the most - watched final in nine years. The match itself was watched by 10 million viewers ( 61 % ), and coverage of the final averaged at 7.3 million ( 50.5 % ). Viewing figures compiled by The Guardian showed the BBC 's coverage was second only to ITV 's broadcast of the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final between Liverpool and A.C. Milan, which amassed 13.9 million viewers. Global audience figures for the 2005 FA Cup Final totalled 484 million. Aftermath and legacy Patrick Vieira was sold to Juventus in the summer of 2005. The 2005 final was Vieira 's last match as an Arsenal player ; he joined Juventus in the close season for a combined total fee of € 20 million. Wenger 's decision to sell his captain was made so the team could benefit from Fàbregas, who broke into the first eleven during the season. In later years, Wenger deviated from his usual counter-attacking style, and imposed a fluent system, with less emphasis on physicality. The immediate seasons after Arsenal relocated to the Emirates Stadium in 2006 saw Wenger sell several experienced players, and integrate more young talent, as a means of fostering an identity with the club. Financing for the stadium however meant Arsenal prioritised its expenditure instead of the squad and trophies. Though Wenger managed to solidify the club 's position in the Premier League 's top four and secure the necessary funds to pay back its debtors, the 2005 Cup win represented Arsenal 's last silverware for nine years. In 2014, he led Arsenal to a record - equalling 11th FA Cup, and became the record equalling most successful manager in the competition 's history a year later, as his side beat Aston Villa. Like Arsenal, Manchester United endured a period of transition after the final. The Glazer 's takeover of the club resulted in disaffected fans setting up F.C. United of Manchester, which, as of 2016, has become the largest supporter - owned football club in the United Kingdom. On the pitch, Manchester United began the 2005 -- 06 season poorly ; they were eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League and the manager was booed at home after United lost to Blackburn Rovers. Journalist Henry Winter in December 2005 opined that Ferguson needed to resign, writing in his column : `` Under Ferguson, United became football 's answer to the Magic Circle. But the magic now drains away and so, next summer, must Ferguson. '' He stayed, however, and having already called time on Keane 's career at United, he began reinvigorating his squad, by signing defenders Nemanja Vidić and Patrice Evra. United returned to the Millennium Stadium eight months after the FA Cup loss, and beat Wigan Athletic to win the 2006 Football League Cup Final. Ferguson guided his team to their first League title in four years the following season, after stern competition from Chelsea, and won a further 13 competitive honours until his retirement in 2013. Kevin McCarra regards the final as a turning point in the rivalry between the two clubs : ``... Arsenal and United, who could barely be prised apart in 2005, have since gone their separate ways. The signs of divergence were already apparent that afternoon. '' The match is considered an example of Wenger setting his team up pragmatically and going against his ideals. Having later asserted he would never use the 4 -- 5 -- 1 system again, Wenger adopted the formation for Champions League matches and his approach resulted in Arsenal reaching the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. References General Lawrenson, Mark, Motson, John ( commentators ), Lineker, Gary ( presenter ), Hansen, Alan, Schmeichel, Peter, Wright, Ian ( studio guests ) ( 21 May 2005 ). 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Jump up ^ `` Bolton 0 -- 1 Arsenal ''. BBC Sport. 12 March 2005. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ Wilson, Paul ( 17 April 2005 ). `` Van Persie doubles up to deliver knockout ''. The Observer. London. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Yeading face Newcastle in FA Cup ''. BBC Sport. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ Allsop, Derick ( 10 January 2005 ). `` Exeter leave United humbled hosts ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Exeter 0 -- 2 Man Utd ''. BBC Sport. 19 January 2005. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Everton 0 -- 2 Man Utd ''. BBC Sport. 19 February 2005. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ Lawrence, Amy ( 13 March 2005 ). `` Coastal breeze for United as Keane blows away resistance ''. The Observer. London. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ McCarra, Kevin ( 18 April 2005 ). `` Ferguson 's men triumph by a one - way street ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal v Manchester United head - to - head record ''. United Mad. Digital Sports Group. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` 2004 -- 05 season review ''. Premier League. 15 May 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Man Utd 1 -- 0 Arsenal ''. BBC Sport. 1 December 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Winter, Henry ( 9 August 2004 ). `` Arsenal show there is life beyond Vieira ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` FA Cup vital statistic ''. The Times. 21 May 2005. p. 98. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 's complete cup finals ''. Statto Organisation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016. ^ Jump up to : Broadbent, Rick ( 21 May 2005 ). `` Wenger 's volley draws Chelsea into feud chain ''. The Times. Retrieved 14 May 2016. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ `` Wenger confronts Blues over Cole ''. BBC Sport. 31 January 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Chelsea deny Ferdinand interest ''. BBC Sport. 18 April 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Wallace, Sam ( 20 May 2005 ). `` Final is a balancing act for Ferguson ''. The Independent. London. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Dunn, Alex ( 20 May 2005 ). `` Campbell set for bench role ''. Sky Sports. Retrieved 14 May 2016. ^ Jump up to : Tanner, Richard ; Banks, Tony ( 21 May 2005 ). `` Sir Alex : United no hatchet men ''. Daily Express. London. p. 40. Jump up ^ Mathieson, Stuart ( 21 May 2005 ). `` Stop your moaning ! ''. Manchester Evening News. p. 48. Jump up ^ `` Rainy FA Cup final dampens demonstrations ''. BBC News. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 23 December 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` FA Cup final 2005 build - up ''. BBC Sport. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 22 December 2012. Jump up ^ `` Double injury blow for United ''. Mail Online. Associated Newspapers. 18 May 2005. Retrieved 22 December 2012. ^ Jump up to : Legge, Charles ( 23 February 2011 ). `` Keane to raise FA Cup ''. Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Hubbard, Norman ( 1 February 2011 ). `` Father - and - son team - mates ''. ESPN FC. Retrieved 22 May 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Clockwatch : 2005 FA Cup final ''. BBC Sport. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs in the seventh minute ; live coverage between 15 : 06pm and 15 : 07pm. ^ Jump up to : `` Arsenal v Manchester United : live commentary ''. ESPN. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs in additional time of the first half ; live coverage between 15 : 46pm and 15 : 48pm. ^ Jump up to : Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs around the 76th minute ; live coverage between 16 : 30pm and 16 : 32pm. ^ Jump up to : Doyle, Paul ( 21 May 2005 ). `` Arsenal 0 Manchester United 0 ( Arsenal win 5 -- 4 on pens ) ''. theguardian.com. Retrieved 14 May 2016. ^ Jump up to : Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs towards the end of the second half ; live coverage between 16 : 50pm and 16 : 55pm. Jump up ^ Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs in the 97th minute ; live coverage between 17 : 04pm and 17 : 06pm. ^ Jump up to : Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Events occurs from the 110th to the 114th minute ; live coverage between 17 : 22pm and 17 : 28pm. Jump up ^ `` Sent off Reyes ' will get medal ' ''. Sunday People. London. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2016. Jump up ^ Lipton, Martin ( 22 May 2005 ). `` Football : Yes I know it was boring, but we won because we are united ''. Daily Mirror. London. Retrieved 14 July 2014. ^ Jump up to : Lawrenson, Motson ( 2005 ). Event occurs seconds after the match concludes ; live coverage between 17 : 49pm and 17 : 51pm. ^ Jump up to : `` Wenger proud of players after win ''. BBC Sport. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Ferguson hails his Manchester United heroes ''. Sunday Independent. Dublin. 22 May 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2016. Jump up ^ Winter, Henry ( 23 May 2005 ). `` Arsenal make cautious game pay ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Ferguson accuses Arsenal 's Vieira ''. BBC Sport. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : Hansen, Alan ( 23 May 2005 ). `` Success ca n't hide need for major surgery ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 April 2016. Jump up ^ Hayward, Paul ( 23 May 2005 ). `` Wonder boys lift United morale ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 April 2016. Jump up ^ Smith, Alan ( 23 May 2005 ). `` Wenger 's changing ways ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 24 April 2016. Jump up ^ Dickinson, Matt ( 23 May 2005 ). `` Arsenal punish United 's mistakes ''. The Times. pp. S1 -- 2. Jump up ^ `` Sport on TV : The week ahead ''. Sunday People. London. 15 May 2005. Retrieved 24 April 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` 12.8 m see Arsenal lift FA Cup ''. Broadcast. Top Right Group. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2015. ( subscription required ) Jump up ^ Gibson, Owen ( 22 December 2005 ). `` ITV tops 2005 sports ratings with Champions League final ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 April 2016. Jump up ^ `` A history of the FA Cup ''. The Football Association. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal accept Juve 's Vieira bid ''. BBC Sport. 14 July 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Samuel, Martin ( 14 August 2009 ). `` Arsene Wenger Interview : The full transcript of Martin Samuel 's fascinating meeting with the Arsenal manager -- part II ''. Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Gary Neville says Arsene Wenger 's transfer strategy is either naive or arrogant, criticises Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil ''. Fox Sports. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2016. Jump up ^ Moore, Glenn ( 23 August 2008 ). `` Arsene Wenger : Success -- I make it, I wo n't buy it ''. The Independent. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Fynn, Alex ; Whitcher, Kevin ( 31 August 2008 ). `` Young guns ''. The Observer. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Hytner, David ( 18 May 2014 ). `` Arséne Wenger savours FA Cup win over Hull as Arsenal end drought ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Walker - Roberts, James ( 31 May 2015 ). `` Arsenal 4 -- 0 Aston Villa : Dominant Gunners seal record FA Cup victory ''. Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Coney, Steven ( 23 March 2016 ). `` FC United of Manchester general manager Andy Walsh to step down ''. The Non-League Paper. London. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Luckhurst, Samuel ( 18 November 2015 ). `` Dismissing Keane was Sir Alex Ferguson 's best decision ''. Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Winter, Henry ( 9 December 2005 ). `` Ferguson must go in the summer ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Keane in shock exit from Man Utd ''. BBC Sport. 18 November 2005. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Rich, Tim ( 16 December 2011 ). `` Manchester United will not buy in January, says Sir Alex Ferguson ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ McCarra, Kevin ( 27 February 2006 ). `` Rooney runs amok to wreck Wigan 's dream ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` The 49 trophies of Sir Alex Ferguson -- the most successful managerial career Britain has ever known ''. The Independent. London. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ McCarra, Kevin ( 8 November 2008 ). `` The May day when Arsenal 's and United 's paths diverged ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ Law, Matt ( 10 April 2014 ). `` Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger recalls the day he played defensively and won the FA Cup ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 22 May 2016. At the start, I did n't set up like that and suddenly Manchester United were all over us and I realised that physically we were not able to compete, so I said, ' OK let 's defend as long as we can ' Jump up ^ Smith, Paul ( 14 May 2006 ). `` Football : The madness of King Arsene ''. Sunday Mirror. London. Retrieved 14 August 2012. Further reading `` Arsenal / Man Utd player ratings ''. BBC Sport. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2016. Cowley, Jason ( 8 May 2005 ). `` Under pressure ''. The Observer. London. Retrieved 15 May 2016. FA Cup Seasons 1871 -- 72 1872 -- 73 1873 -- 74 1874 -- 75 1875 -- 76 1876 -- 77 1877 -- 78 1878 -- 79 1879 -- 80 1880 -- 81 1881 -- 82 1882 -- 83 1883 -- 84 1884 -- 85 1885 -- 86 1886 -- 87 1887 -- 88 1888 -- 89 1889 -- 90 1890 -- 91 1891 -- 92 1892 -- 93 1893 -- 94 1894 -- 95 1895 -- 96 1896 -- 97 1897 -- 98 1898 -- 99 1899 -- 1900 1900 -- 01 1901 -- 02 1902 -- 03 1903 -- 04 1904 -- 05 1905 -- 06 1906 -- 07 1907 -- 08 1908 -- 09 1909 -- 10 1910 -- 11 1911 -- 12 1912 -- 13 1913 -- 14 1914 -- 15 1919 -- 20 1920 -- 21 1921 -- 22 1922 -- 23 1923 -- 24 1924 -- 25 1925 -- 26 1926 -- 27 1927 -- 28 1928 -- 29 1929 -- 30 1930 -- 31 1931 -- 32 1932 -- 33 1933 -- 34 1934 -- 35 1935 -- 36 1936 -- 37 1937 -- 38 1938 -- 39 1945 -- 46 1946 -- 47 1947 -- 48 1948 -- 49 1949 -- 50 1950 -- 51 1951 -- 52 1952 -- 53 1953 -- 54 1954 -- 55 1955 -- 56 1956 -- 57 1957 -- 58 1958 -- 59 1959 -- 60 1960 -- 61 1961 -- 62 1962 -- 63 1963 -- 64 1964 -- 65 1965 -- 66 1966 -- 67 1967 -- 68 1968 -- 69 1969 -- 70 1970 -- 71 1971 -- 72 1972 -- 73 1973 -- 74 1974 -- 75 1975 -- 76 1976 -- 77 1977 -- 78 1978 -- 79 1979 -- 80 1980 -- 81 1981 -- 82 1982 -- 83 1983 -- 84 1984 -- 85 1985 -- 86 1986 -- 87 1987 -- 88 1988 -- 89 1989 -- 90 1990 -- 91 1991 -- 92 1992 -- 93 1993 -- 94 1994 -- 95 1995 -- 96 1996 -- 97 1997 -- 98 1998 -- 99 1999 -- 2000 2000 -- 01 2001 -- 02 2002 -- 03 2003 -- 04 2004 -- 05 2005 -- 06 2006 -- 07 2007 -- 08 2008 -- 09 2009 -- 10 2010 -- 11 2011 -- 12 2012 -- 13 2013 -- 14 2014 -- 15 2015 -- 16 2016 -- 17 2017 -- 18 Qualifying rounds 1888 -- 89 1889 -- 90 1890 -- 91 1891 -- 92 1892 -- 93 1893 -- 94 1894 -- 95 1895 -- 96 1896 -- 97 1897 -- 98 1898 -- 99 1899 -- 1900 1900 -- 01 1901 -- 02 1902 -- 03 1903 -- 04 1904 -- 05 1905 -- 06 1906 -- 07 1907 -- 08 1908 -- 09 1909 -- 10 1910 -- 11 1911 -- 12 1912 -- 13 1913 -- 14 1914 -- 15 1919 -- 20 1920 -- 21 1921 -- 22 1922 -- 23 1923 -- 24 1924 -- 25 1925 -- 26 1926 -- 27 1927 -- 28 1928 -- 29 1929 -- 30 1930 -- 31 1931 -- 32 1932 -- 33 1933 -- 34 1934 -- 35 1935 -- 36 1936 -- 37 1937 -- 38 1938 -- 39 1945 -- 46 1946 -- 47 1947 -- 48 1948 -- 49 1949 -- 50 1950 -- 51 1951 -- 52 1952 -- 53 1953 -- 54 1954 -- 55 1955 -- 56 1956 -- 57 1957 -- 58 1958 -- 59 1959 -- 60 1960 -- 61 1961 -- 62 1962 -- 63 1963 -- 64 1964 -- 65 1965 -- 66 1966 -- 67 1967 -- 68 1968 -- 69 1969 -- 70 1970 -- 71 1971 -- 72 1972 -- 73 1973 -- 74 1974 -- 75 1975 -- 76 1976 -- 77 1977 -- 78 1978 -- 79 1979 -- 80 1980 -- 81 1981 -- 82 1982 -- 83 1983 -- 84 1984 -- 85 1985 -- 86 1986 -- 87 1987 -- 88 1988 -- 89 1989 -- 90 1990 -- 91 1991 -- 92 1992 -- 93 1993 -- 94 1994 -- 95 1995 -- 96 1996 -- 97 1997 -- 98 1998 -- 99 1999 -- 2000 2000 -- 01 2001 -- 02 2002 -- 03 2003 -- 04 2004 -- 05 2005 -- 06 2006 -- 07 2007 -- 08 2008 -- 09 2009 -- 10 2010 -- 11 2011 -- 12 2012 -- 13 2013 -- 14 2014 -- 15 2015 -- 16 2016 -- 17 2017 -- 18 Finals 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 History Trophy List of finals Third - fourth place matches Semi-finals Final referees Winning managers Non-English clubs Non-League clubs in the 5th Round 2004 -- 05 in English football `` 2003 -- 04 2005 -- 06 '' FA competitions FA Cup ( Qualifying rounds, Final ) Community Shield FA Trophy ( Final ) Premier League and Football League FA Premier League Football League ( Championship, League One, League Two ) League Cup ( Final ) Football League Trophy ( Final ) Play - offs ( Championship Final, League One Final, League Two Final ) Football Conference Football Conference ( National, North, South ) Conference League Cup Lower leagues Isthmian League Northern Premier League Southern League North West Counties League Wessex League Western League European competitions Champions League ( Final ) UEFA Cup Intertoto Cup Related to national team 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification ( UEFA Group 6 ) Sven - Göran Eriksson Club seasons FA Premier League Arsenal Aston Villa Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Charlton Athletic Chelsea Crystal Palace Everton Fulham Liverpool Manchester City Manchester United Middlesbrough Newcastle United Norwich City Portsmouth Southampton Tottenham Hotspur West Bromwich Albion Championship Brighton & Hove Albion Burnley Cardiff City Coventry City Crewe Alexandra Derby County Gillingham Ipswich Town Leeds United Leicester City Millwall Nottingham Forest Plymouth Argyle Preston North End Queens Park Rangers Reading Rotherham United Sheffield United Stoke City Sunderland Watford West Ham United Wigan Athletic Wolverhampton Wanderers League One Barnsley Blackpool Bournemouth Bradford City Brentford Bristol City Chesterfield Colchester United Doncaster Rovers Hartlepool United Huddersfield Town Hull City Luton Town Milton Keynes Dons Oldham Athletic Peterborough United Port Vale Sheffield Wednesday Stockport County Swindon Town Torquay United Tranmere Rovers Walsall Wrexham League Two Boston United Bristol Rovers Bury Cambridge United Cheltenham Town Chester City Darlington Grimsby Town Kidderminster Harriers Leyton Orient Lincoln City Macclesfield Town Mansfield Town Northampton Town Notts County Oxford United Rochdale Rushden & Diamonds Scunthorpe United Shrewsbury Town Southend United Swansea City Wycombe Wanderers Yeovil Town Non-League AFC Wimbledon Carlisle United Gateshead Newport County Summer 2004 transfers Winter 2004 -- 05 transfers Summer 2005 transfers Arsenal F.C. matches FA Cup Finals 1927 1930 1932 1936 1950 1952 1971 1972 1978 1979 1980 1993 1998 2001 2002 2003 2005 2014 2015 2017 Football League War Cup Finals 1941 1943 League Cup Finals 1968 1969 1988 1993 2007 2011 2018 FA Community Shields 1930 1931 1933 1934 1935 1936 1938 1948 1953 1979 1989 1991 1993 1998 1999 2002 2003 2005 2014 2015 2017 UEFA Champions League Final 2006 UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup Finals 1980 1994 1995 UEFA Cup Final 2000 riots Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Final 1970 European Super Cup 1994 Other matches Leicester City 6 -- 6 Arsenal ( 1930 ) Aston Villa 1 -- 7 Arsenal ( 1935 ) Liverpool 0 -- 2 Arsenal ( 1989 ) Manchester United -- Arsenal brawl ( 1990 ) Wrexham 2 -- 1 Arsenal ( 1992 ) Battle of Old Trafford ( 2003 ) Battle of the Buffet ( 2004 ) MLS All - Star Game ( 2016 ) Manchester United F.C. matches FA Cup Finals 1909 1948 1957 1958 1963 1976 1977 1979 1985 1990 1994 1995 1999 2005 2007 2016 League Cup Finals 1991 1992 1994 2003 2006 2009 2017 FA Community Shield 1908 1911 1948 1952 1956 1957 1963 1965 1967 1977 1985 1990 1993 1994 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2007 2008 2009 2011 2013 2016 UEFA Champions League Finals 1968 1999 2008 2009 2011 European Cup Winners ' Cup Final 1991 UEFA Europa League Final 2017 UEFA Super Cup 1991 1999 2008 2017 Intercontinental Cup 1968 1999 FIFA Club World Cup Final 2008 Notable league matches 3 -- 5 v West Bromwich Albion ( 1978 ) Manchester United -- Arsenal brawl ( 1990 ) 9 -- 0 v Ipswich Town ( 1995 ) 8 -- 1 v Nottingham Forest ( 1999 ) Battle of Old Trafford ( 2003 ) Battle of the Buffet ( 2004 ) 4 -- 3 v Manchester City ( 2009 ) Other matches UEFA Celebration Match ( 2007 ) 2010 MLS All - Star 2011 MLS All - Star 2013 A-League All Stars Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2005_FA_Cup_Final&oldid=810068980 '' Categories : 2004 -- 05 in Welsh football FA Cup Finals Arsenal F.C. matches Manchester United F.C. matches Association football penalty shootouts 2004 -- 05 FA Cup 2000s in Cardiff May 2005 sports events in Europe Sports events in Cardiff Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - 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Question: who did arsenal beat in fa cup final
Answer: Manchester United