Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the star of the show as Arsenal produced a fine performance to beat Manchester City and reach the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Gunners boss Arteta outwitted City manager Pep Guardiola with an astute counter-attacking scheme and Aubameyang struck in each half as Arsenal executed their plans to perfection. Arsenal will face Chelsea or Manchester United, who meet in the other semi-final on Sunday, in the final at Wembley on August 1.
Arteta captained Arsenal to FA Cup triumph six years ago and, in his first season in charge of the north London club, the Spaniard has led them back to the final of a competition they last won in 2017.
Just days after beating Premier League champions Liverpool, Arsenal offered further evidence that Arteta could be the man to restore them to the glory days of the Arsene Wenger era. Arsenal had lost their previous seven meetings with City, including a 3-0 drubbing in their first game after the coronavirus hiatus.
But, thanks to Arteta’s masterstroke, Arsenal handed Guardiola’s side a first Wembley defeat in their last 10 visits.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the result:
Scenesssssss pic.twitter.com/Bted6fwQiZ
— Héctor Bellerín (@HectorBellerin) July 18, 2020
Big win for for @Arsenal tonight! On to the final🏆 A great team effort and very tactical game by Arteta. Defensively very compact/strong & offensively deadly effective. Outstanding performance by the whole team but for me Aubameyang, Luiz and Niles really stood out 👏 Well done!
— Robin van Persie (@Persie_Official) July 18, 2020
🙌🏻⚽️ On our way to the finals! We have shown what we are capable of! My team is great. 👏🏼👏🏼Only one more step! Let's go for all, Gunners!💪💪@Arsenal #FACup #GreatVictory #ArsenalVsManchesterCity #Final #VamosGunners pic.twitter.com/vhQgHfUE6t
— Daniel Ceballos (@DaniCeballos46) July 18, 2020
The Arsenal.#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/9ffj1RfCq9
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 18, 2020
Arteta’s finest moment as Arsenal manager. Congrats Boss @m8arteta - you’ve got a team that wants to play for you. 👏👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/oE8GYHovJq
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 18, 2020
Arteta joined Arsenal with everyone expecting Pep style football every week. Arsenal haven’t got the players (yet) for that, so he’s changed the shape & adapted his idea to beat the best 2 teams in the country in 4 days. That’s great management. #ARSMCI
— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) July 18, 2020
Flsnjwgdkalfbisnabdlal7rywjalfnaklalfhwjallxnekahallakfhalalfjuebdkahdowlfushwlslkdhrensishsbjqh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) July 18, 2020
THIS is how it feels to reach the #HeadsUpFACupFinal 🤗@Arsenal #ARSMCI pic.twitter.com/KtegepyT6g
— The Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) July 18, 2020
Unbelievable performance #ARSMCI what a week, beat the #champions and now beat #city! #COYG #FACup #FINAL!! ⚽️
— David Seaman (@thedavidseaman) July 18, 2020
"That ball from me is not a goalscoring ball, he makes it a goal!"
— ArsenalWay (@ArsenalWay) July 18, 2020
Future club legend @kierantierney1 #FACup
pic.twitter.com/YCNBCMa4UB
"To beat the best two teams in Europe in three days is something that doesn't happen every day."
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 18, 2020
As far as weeks go, it's been a cracker for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal!#MOTD pic.twitter.com/er53SslTqC
• The last six times Arsenal have played the defending FA Cup Champions, they beat them and went on to win the competition.
— Dean (@DeanJamesSBTB) July 18, 2020
• The last time Leeds were in the Premier League, Arsenal won the Title.
• The last time Liverpool won the League, Arsenal won it the season after.
Arsenal' past 7 games against Man City: (before today)
— LTArsenal™ (@ltarsenal) July 18, 2020
3-0, 3-0, 3-1, 2-0. 3-0, 3-0, 3-1. ALL DEFEATS.
Arsenal' past 7 games against Liverpool: (before Wednesday)
3-1, 5-1, 1-1, 3-3, 4-0, 3-1, 4-3. NO WINS
This is the 'football heritage' Arteta had inherited.
Aubameyang has ice cold veins man. What a finish, nutmegs Ederson, brilliant ball from Tierney. We are two nil up against Man City #ARSMCI #FACup pic.twitter.com/P0kDAh2fpA
— Dammit Arsenal 🤦🏻♀️ (@DammitArsenal) July 18, 2020
yo, credit where it's due. Arsenal calmly broke City's press, fashioned a quality chance which they put away and made the whole thing look like a casuall training session. I meannnnn pic.twitter.com/YFvIM6ip9p
— amadí ¨̮ (@amadoit__) July 19, 2020
Six months ago, I can’t even begin to imagine watching Arsenal attempt to hold on to leads against Liverpool & City for 60+ minutes each within the space of 96 hours.
— Patrick Timmons (@PatrickTimmons1) July 18, 2020
The squad hasn’t changed. The coach has and so too has the attitude & morale.
I’m beyond proud of the boys.
Ole, Lampard and Arteta all 3 at the clubs that they played and loved about to lift the FA Cup in 2 weeks as the manager. The magic of the FA CUP. #FACup
— Aditya Reds (@aditya_reds) July 18, 2020
Delighted for Kieran Tierney. He arrived at Arsenal after carrying an injury for months and always needed time. The more games he plays the better he looks. If any player deserves anything from football for pure attitude, commitment and desire it’s him...
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) July 18, 2020
Absolutely out of nowhere, shades of the old blueprint Cazorla-Coquelin performance against Man City all those years ago - Unexpected levels of discipline and concentration, a real plan perfectly executed. Top marks Arsenal. 👏👏👏
— Amy Lawrence (@amylawrence71) July 18, 2020
Its surreal,incongruous even,that we won Liverpool/mancity in 3days.!..imagine what we can achieve with quality additions.Truly proud of the boys..!Welldone.....Only one Arsenal!#COYG
— Apst Johnson Suleman (@APOSTLESULEMAN) July 19, 2020
Woke up reading about how tight Arsenal defence was and how outstanding was David Luiz. Thought I was dreaming. Beat Liverpool then City but this time actually played very well. Sounded like Arsenal of old. So, well done 👏🏻
— 𝗔𝘆𝘀𝗵𝗮 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝘇𝘂𝗮𝗻 (@ayshardzn) July 19, 2020
Really enjoyed that Arsenal performance. Strange that they are currently 10th but there is more cause for optimism than there has been for a while. Board have to back and trust Arteta with some money for transfers this summer.
— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) July 18, 2020
What a win for Mikel Arteta. Arsenal incredibly well drilled. Some huge performances but noticed Arteta’s special hug for Maitland-Niles at the end... nice moment. The FA Cup huge for Arteta as a player and now as a manager.
— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) July 18, 2020
Juanma Lillo giving Pep a Season 8 recap of Game of Thrones. #FACup pic.twitter.com/C1YbKg4TVB
— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) July 18, 2020
Arsenal have made Guardiola lose his mind, he was talking to an empty chair 😁
— Top Videos💎 (@Top55Vid) July 18, 2020
pic.twitter.com/BfcSYvpJyR
Man City is planning to hire a team of the best lawyers to overturn their FA Cup semi final loss against Arsenal. [BBC]
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) July 18, 2020
Arsenal when playing an #FACup match. pic.twitter.com/v8kA8iXMKK
— Sharyf🦁 (@Sharyf__) July 18, 2020
Pep’s really missing Arteta, huh? pic.twitter.com/fmEOdWfViV
— David Hartley (@DavidHartley21) July 18, 2020
Sex is cool and all, but have you defeated Liverpool and Manchester City in the same gameweek ? #FACup pic.twitter.com/QkA4JuIEIY
— Dammit Arsenal 🤦🏻♀️ (@DammitArsenal) July 18, 2020
Lost to Arsenal on purpose so they had the confidence to beat City and deny them another cup, Klopp's playing 4D chess pic.twitter.com/EGbo5oMrgN
— MB (@MrBoywunder) July 18, 2020
(With inputs from AFP)