page_title: 2005 FA Cup Final
section_title: Aftermath and legacy
hierarchical_section_title: 2005 FA Cup Final / Aftermath and legacy
caption_attribution_description: English: Patrick Vieira, NYCFC Coach, in 2016
context_page_description: 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.
context_section_description: 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.
caption: Patrick Vieira was sold to Juventus in the summer of 2005.
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