2001 FA Cup final

English football match April 2014 May 2018 the women's event 2001 FA Women's Cup final 2001 FA Cup final 2001_FA_Cup_Final_programme.png The match programme cover. 2000–01 FA Cup Arsenal 1 Liverpool 2 12 May 2001 Millennium Stadium Cardiff Michael Owen (Liverpool) Steve Dunn (Gloucestershire) 72,500 Clear24 °C °FHistory for Cardiff-Wales, United Kingdom http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/EGFF/2005/8/7/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA Weather Underground 30 December 2014 2000 2002 The 2001 FA Cup final was a football match between Arsenal and Liverpool on 12 May 2001 at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. It was the final match of the 2000–01 FA Cup, the 120th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the FA Cup, and the first in the competition's history to be staged outside England, due to the ongoing reconstruction of its usual venue, Wembley Stadium. Arsenal appeared in their fourteenth final to Liverpool's twelfth. Given both teams were in the highest tier of English football, the Premier League, they entered the competition in the third round. Each needed to progress through five rounds to reach the final. Arsenal's progress was relatively comfortable; after scoring six past Queens Park Rangers, they knocked out holders Chelsea in the fifth round and later came from behind to beat local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final. Liverpool by contrast made hard work of overcoming lower-league opponents Tranmere Rovers and Wycombe Wanderers in the latter rounds of the competition. The final marked the first time that two managers born outside the British Isles had met in an FA Cup final – French compatriots Arsène Wenger and Gérard Houllier. The match followed a familiar pattern of Arsenal dictating the pace and creating chances, but failing to breach the Liverpool defence. Arsenal had a penalty appeal turned down in the first half, when defender Stéphane Henchoz was judged not to have handled the ball to deny Thierry Henry a goalscoring opportunity. Henchoz's partner Sami Hyypiä made a series of goalline clearances during the second half, but was helpless to stop Arsenal taking the lead in the 72nd minute. Liverpool responded by making changes and equalised in the 83rd minute; Arsenal's failure to deal with a free-kick presented Michael Owen the chance to score. Owen then outpaced Lee Dixon and Tony Adams to score his second and the match winner, two minutes before the end of normal time. Liverpool's victory marked the second part of their unique treble of the 2000–01 season: they had won the League Cup in late February and added the UEFA Cup four days later. As of 2026, this is the most recent time Arsenal have lost an FA Cup final, having won their next 7 appearances in a row. (2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020) Route to the final 2000–01 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 out of a hat with the remaining clubs. If a match is drawn, a replay comes into force, ordinarily at the ground of the team who were away for the first game. 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.http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2002/08/20766.htm https://archive.today/20040221173633/http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2002/08/20766.htm dead 21 February 2004 Rules of The FA Cup Challenge Cup The Football Association 9 September 2013 This was the first season that The Football Association introduced guidelines to prevent the withdrawal of clubs from the competition.FA Cup reverts to tradition 30 Mark Bradley The Independent London 28 January 2000 The final was scheduled a week before the final weekend of the Premier League, to aid any successful club playing European football. Arsenal Round Opposition Score 3rd Carlisle United (a) 1–0 4th Queens Park Rangers (a) 6–0 5th Chelsea (h) 3–1 6th Blackburn Rovers (h) 3–0 Semi-final Tottenham Hotspur (n) 2–1 Key: (h) = Home venue; (a) = Away venue; (n) = Neutral venue. Arsenal entered the competition in the third round and their cup run started with an away tie against Carlisle United. Although the home side created numerous chances in the opening minutes and looked likeliest to score, Arsenal took the lead in the 22nd minute through Sylvain Wiltord. Poor finishing from both teams thereafter meant Arsenal progressed by a slender scoreline.Wily Wiltord helps Arsenal maintain the class divide https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2995947/Wily-Wiltord-helps-Arsenal-maintain-the-class-divide.html Colin Malam The Daily Telegraph London 6 January 2001 26 October 2012 In the fourth round, Arsenal faced Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road. The visitors' first goal came around the half-hour mark; defender Ashley Cole cleared Peter Crouch's goal-bound header and from that Arsenal launched a counterattack. Lee Dixon's cross inadvertently met Chris Plummer who scored an own goal. Wiltord extended Arsenal's lead a minute later, and QPR conceded another own goal early in the second half which sealed the tie in the visitors' favour. Arsenal finished as comfortable 6–0 winners, representing the club's best away win in the FA Cup for 64 years.Arsenal question Wenger's priorities https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/2997615/Arsenal-question-Wengers-priorities.html John Ley The Daily Telegraph London 28 January 2001 26 October 2012 In the fifth round, Arsenal played the cup holders Chelsea at home. Throughout the tie, Arsenal's centre-back partnership of Oleh Luzhnyi and Igors Stepanovs struggled against the pace of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who equalised for Chelsea after Thierry Henry gave the home side the lead. Wiltord replaced Robert Pires in the second half and scored twice to settle the match.Wiltord picks Chelsea's pocket https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/feb/19/match.sport David Lacey The Guardian London 19 February 2001 26 October 2012 In the sixth round, Arsenal enjoyed a comfortable win against Blackburn Rovers of the First Division, where Wiltord continued his run scoring in each round of the competition.Gunners blitz stuns Blackburn https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/1211715.stm BBC Sport 12 May 2001 27 February 2016 Arsenal faced Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-final and it was their local rivals who had taken the lead in the 14th minute.Pinpoint Pires has the final say https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/apr/09/match.sport3 David Lacey The Guardian London 9 April 2001 26 October 2012 Patrick Vieira equalised just after Tottenham captain Sol Campbell was taken off the pitch to receive treatment. Tottenham managed to withstand pressure from Arsenal for most of the second half, but came unstuck in the 73rd minute when Pires scored the decisive goal. Liverpool Round Opposition Score 3rd Rotherham United (h) 3–0 4th Leeds United (a) 2–0 5th Manchester City (h) 4–2 6th Tranmere Rovers (a) 4–2 Semi-final Wycombe Wanderers (n) 2–1 Key: (h) = Home venue; (a) = Away venue; (n) = Neutral venue. Liverpool entered the competition in the third round, where they were drawn against Second Division side Rotherham United at home. Igor Bišćan was sent off in the tie for a second bookable offence, moments after Emile Heskey had scored. Dietmar Hamann extended Liverpool's lead in the 73rd minute and a further goal by Heskey ensured their progress in the competition.Biscan blow sparks Liverpool into life https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2995953/Biscan-blow-sparks-Liverpool-into-life.html Huw Turbervill The Daily Telegraph London 6 January 2001 18 June 2015 Liverpool's opponent in the fourth round was Leeds United.Leeds meet old rivals on elite list S1 Nick Szczepanik The Times 8 January 2001 The match was played at Elland Road on 27 January 2001 in front of a near-capacity crowd of 37,108. The home team enjoyed much of the possession, but struggled to find a breakthrough as Liverpool's defence stood firm. Two minutes before full-time, Barmby, on as a substitute, scored the winning goal, rebounding a shot that came off the post. Barmby then turned provider for Liverpool's second, setting-up Heskey to score.Liverpool stun Leeds https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1138324.stm BBC Sport 27 January 2001 18 June 2015 Anfield hosted Manchester City in the fifth round. It was the start of a decisive week for Liverpool, as they faced Roma midweek in the UEFA Cup, then Birmingham City in the 2001 Football League Cup final.Liverpool too slick for City https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1177440.stm BBC Sport 18 February 2001 18 June 2015 Liverpool were awarded a penalty after five minutes, as goalkeeper Nicky Weaver fouled Vladimír Šmicer inside the 18-yard box. Jari Litmanen converted the spot kick to give Liverpool the lead, which quickly became 2–0 when Heskey's shot found its way past Weaver. Andrei Kanchelskis' goal in the 28th minute halved the scoreline, but Šmicer and Markus Babbel each scored in the second half to put Liverpool in a commanding lead. City persisted and in stoppage time scored their second goal of the match; Shaun Goater's deflected shot did enough to beat goalkeeper Sander Westerveld. Liverpool travelled to Prenton Park to play Tranmere Rovers in the sixth round. Danny Murphy and Michael Owen each scored in a first half in which the visitors dominated play.Liverpool show appetite for fight https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/4776618/Liverpool-show-appetite-for-fight.html Henry Winter The Daily Telegraph London 12 March 2001 18 June 2015 Steve Yates pulled a goal back for Tranmere after half-time, but in the 52nd minute Steven Gerrard headed-in a cross to restore Liverpool's two-goal advantage. A mistake by Robbie Fowler gifted substitute Wayne Allison the chance to score, but the striker made amends as he converted a penalty kick in the 81st minute. In the semi-final, Liverpool faced Wycombe Wanderers at Villa Park. Goals from Heskey and Fowler and a consolation scored by Wycombe's captain Keith Ryan ensured Liverpool won 2–1 and earnt a place in the final.Liverpool end Wycombe's fight https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1264608.stm BBC Sport 8 April 2001 18 June 2015 Pre-match Stadium changes thumb|225px|upright|In addition to hosting the FA Cup Final, the Millennium Stadium acted as the venue for the Charity Shield, and all major Football League trophy and play-off finals. FA opts for Cardiff final http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/fa-opts-for-cardiff-final-1-641588 The Scotsman Edinburgh 5 January 2001 26 February 2016 In October 2000, Wembley Stadium, the final's traditional venue, was closed in anticipation of major redevelopment.Timeline: The new Wembley https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1326723.stm BBC Sport 21 February 2006 26 February 2016 Having considered alternative venues such as Twickenham, Murrayfield and Villa Park, the FA announced in January 2001 that the next three Cup finals would be staged at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.Millennium showpieces 71 Mark Bradley Coventry Telegraph 4 January 2001 This therefore marked the first time the showpiece event was held outside England. In the lead-up to the final, FA chief executive Adam Crozier acknowledged concerns over transport and the quality of the pitch, saying, "We've done a lot of work with Cardiff and hopefully it will be a great occasion, but we'll take a view about how it's worked after the final and decide whether to still hold the match there."Crozier: Cardiff on trial for Cup final 1 Nick Townsend The Independent London 6 May 2001 A new pitch was re-laid in May, and the police made attempts to ease traffic on the M4 by opening three more turn-offs than they did for the League Cup final.Cardiff prepares for moment of cup final glory 4 Roger Dobson The Independent London 10 May 2001 The finalists received a total allocation of approximately 52,000 tickets, which was an estimated increase of 10% on previous Wembley finals.FA kicks out Cup Final freeloaders 40 Matt Dickinson The Times 26 January 2001 Seat prices for the final exceeded £70, though some ticket touts charged as much as £1,000.Police seize fake tickets http://www.thefreelibrary.com/COUNTDOWN+TO+THE+FA+CUP+FINAL%3A+POLICE+SEIZE+FAKE+TICKETS.-a074374787 David Mather The Mirror London 10 May 2001 26 February 2016 The cheapest tickets cost £20; the rest were priced at £40 and £55. Build-up Arsenal were appearing in the final of the FA Cup for the 14th time, their first in over three years. They had won the cup seven times previously (in 1930, 1936, 1950, 1971, 1979, 1993 and 1998) and were beaten in the final six times.Arsenal's complete cup finals http://www.statto.com/football/teams/arsenal/history/cup-finals Statto Organisation 27 February 2016 live https://web.archive.org/web/20160304082911/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/arsenal/history/cup-finals 4 March 2016 dmy-all By comparison, Liverpool were making their 12th appearance in a FA Cup final. The club won the cup five times (in 1965, 1974, 1986, 1989, 1992) and lost six finals, most recent of which against Manchester United in 1996.Liverpool's complete cup finals http://www.statto.com/football/teams/liverpool/history/cup-finals Statto Organisation 27 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100718/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/liverpool/history/cup-finals 4 March 2016 live dmy-all Arsenal and Liverpool had previously met thirteen times in the FA Cup, including four replays.Arsenal's head-to-head comparison with Liverpool http://www.statto.com/football/teams/arsenal/liverpool/head-to-head Statto Organisation 26 February 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075427/http://www.statto.com/football/teams/arsenal/liverpool/head-to-head 4 March 2016 live dmy-all Arsenal had a slender advantage in those meetings, winning five times to Liverpool's four. Both clubs were involved in the longest ever semi-final in FA Cup history in 1980, which required three replays after the original tie ended goalless.Joy of Six: Liverpool v Arsenal matches https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/mar/02/joy-of-six-liverpool-arsenal Scott Murray The Guardian 2 March 2012 27 February 2016 Brian Talbot's goal at Highfield Road earnt Arsenal a 1–0 victory. thumb|220px|upright|left|Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier was on course to win multiple trophies in the 2000–01 season. The last meeting between the two teams had been in the Premier League on 23 December 2000. Liverpool recorded a 4–0 win at Anfield, their third-straight victory in all competitions.Liverpool keep dream alive https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/2995199/Liverpool-keep-dream-alive.html Colin Malam The Daily Telegraph London 24 December 2000 26 February 2016 Gérard Houllier, the manager of Liverpool, enjoyed success in the cup competitions during the 2000–01 season; under his management, the club ended their six-year spell without silverware by winning the League Cup,Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm BBC Sport 25 February 2001 26 February 2016 and in the calendar year defeated Roma, Porto and Barcelona to reach the 2001 UEFA Cup final.Liverpool's Uefa Cup run https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/uefa_cup/1331304.stm BBC Sport 15 May 2001 26 February 2016 Houllier was indifferent that his side were considered the underdogs in the FA Cup final, and told reporters, "We have great work ethic and team ethic. There is a great desire to achieve something as a club."Sean Ingle Heskey to start tomorrow https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/11/newsstory.sport3 The Guardian London 11 May 2001 26 February 2016 He confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Heskey would start the final, though had yet to make a final decision over who would partner the England forward. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger admitted his team had underachieved during the season, but took criticism of failing to challenge Manchester United in the league and progressing further in the UEFA Champions League as a "compliment to the club".Wenger driven by the fear of failure 31 Tim Rich The Independent London 12 May 2001 He spoke in favour of moving FA Cup ties midweek to prevent fixture congestion, because the current system was too demanding for the big clubs: "In England a team that goes for the FA Cup automatically has a problem in the championship, especially if they play in the Champions League. There are then so many games something has to be sacrificed and I have sacrificed points in the championship to the FA Cup." When asked whether reducing the number of teams in the UEFA Champions League would help, Wenger commented it "... would mean less money and no one with the wages we pay can accept a drop in income. As for cutting the Premiership – they have done that in France and now those teams not involved in the cups are complaining." The match attracted considerable media interest because of the number of foreigners involved.Abide with moi, boyo! http://www.thefreelibrary.com/%5B1%5D+FOOTBALL%3A+FA+CUP+FINAL+2001%3A+ARSENAL+v+LIVERPOOL+-+ABIDE+WITH...-a074461248 John Dillon David Maddock The Mirror London 12 May 2001 27 February 2016 It marked the first time that the two managers of opposing sides were born outside the British Isles, and it was anticipated the final would receive a large overseas audience because of the inclusion of several international players. Broadcast in 70 countries, viewing figures for the match totalled close to 600 million.Economic Impact of the FA Cup and Other Football Matches http://formerly.cardiff.gov.uk/ObjView.asp?Object_ID=10778 Cardiff Council PDF 2001 30 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160416224446/http://formerly.cardiff.gov.uk/ObjView.asp?Object_ID=10778 16 April 2016 dead dmy-all Match Summary Both clubs lined up in a traditional 4–4–2 formation: a four-man defence (comprising two centre-backs and left and right full-backs), four midfielders (two in the centre, and one on each wing) and two centre forwards.Houllier's way the right path to glory S3 Glenn Moore The Independent London 14 May 2001 Wenger opted to pair Gilles Grimandi with Vieira in midfield and Wiltord up front with Henry, leaving Bergkamp on the substitutes' bench.Keown and Henry left frustrated by weakest links in team S7 Oliver Kay The Times 14 May 2001 Ashley Cole played in defence, ahead of Sylvinho, who did not feature in the matchday squad.FA Cup final clockwatch https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1326723.stm BBC Sport 12 May 2001 18 June 2015 For Liverpool, Houllier named Owen in the starting line-up, and chose Šmicer and Murphy to play in midfield.Cool Owen shows his ability to shine on the big occasion S7 Alyson Rudd The Times 14 May 2001 Gary McAllister, Patrik Berger and Fowler began the final as substitutes. Arsenal in their usual home strip of red shirts and white shorts kicked off the match and immediately won a corner, which was dealt with by Westerveld. A run by Heskey six minutes later resulted in the player taking a tumble under Gilles Grimandi's challenge, but his appeals for a penalty were ignored by referee Dunn. Arsenal began to dominate play, with Vieira at the heart of their best moves. The midfielder won a challenge with Heskey in the 17th minute and sent the ball in the direction of Freddie Ljungberg, who in turn passed it to Henry. The Frenchman went around Westerveld and shot the ball goalwards, which was cleared off the line by Stéphane Henchoz.Owen shatters Arsenal in Cup final https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/1324699.stm BBC Sport 12 May 2001 31 December 2009 Television replays later showed the ball hitting Henchoz's arm before going wide; although Henry appealed for a penalty, it was turned down as the incident was missed by both the referee and his assistant. Owen came close to scoring in the 20th minute, but for his shot to be blocked by Martin Keown. Arsenal continued to find the best openings, but struggled to split open the Liverpool defence. A long range effort by Grimandi was easily saved by Westerveld as the final approached the half-hour mark, and a duel between Wiltord and Jamie Carragher on the right side resulted in a Liverpool corner. Two minutes before the interval Henry was penalised for drifting into an offside position, having collected a long pass.Arsenal 1–2 Liverpool https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/12/minutebyminute.sport Matt Hughes The Guardian 12 May 2001 18 June 2015 Liverpool resumed play and won a free-kick in the 48th minute; Murphy's delivery found Heskey, whose header forced a save from David Seaman. Arsenal enjoyed their best spell of the match soon afterwards, but failed to make use of their set-pieces. A free-kick taken by Pires was easily handled by Westerveld, and nothing came out of the resulting corner. Pires and Henry combined in attack for Arsenal and the latter came close to scoring, had the Liverpool goalkeeper not intervened. The ball rebounded to Cole who shot goalwards, but Sami Hyypiä cleared off the line. Hamann was shown a yellow card for fouling Vieira in the 57th minute, and Houllier responded by replacing him with McAllister four minutes later. The change had the desired effect as it brought composure to Liverpool's play, particularly in midfield. In the 62nd minute Ljungberg received a yellow card for a challenge on Šmicer. Arsenal squandered another chance, this time two minutes before the 70; Henry outpaced Henchoz and his rebounded shot found Ljungberg in the penalty area. The midfielder's effort, a chip over the advancing Westerveld, was cleared off the line by Hyypiä.FA Cup Final: Owen's double take stuns unlucky Arsenal https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/3005224/FA-Cup-Final-Owens-double-take-stuns-unlucky-Arsenal.html Colin Malam The Sunday Telegraph London 13 May 2001 18 June 2015 With 19 minutes left, Arsenal finally scored. A poor clearance by Westerveld fell to Grimandi, who passed the ball to Pires. Ljungberg received it and rounded the goalkeeper to score, much to Wenger's delight. Henry missed a chance to give Arsenal a two-goal lead in the 74th minute, as his shot was point-blank saved by Westerveld and on the follow-up cleared by Hyypiä. Both managers made changes in the final period of the game; Ray Parlour came on for Wiltord in order to protect Arsenal's lead, whereas Liverpool made an attacking double substitution – Fowler and Berger on for Šmicer and Murphy. Liverpool survived the onslaught and found a foothold in the game when Owen equalised with eight minutes left. Arsenal failed to clear substitute McAllister's free-kick, and Owen pounced with a right-foot finish past Seaman from eight yards. Liverpool's comeback was completed six minutes later in the 88th minute, with extra time looming; Owen was released down the left by a weighted long ball pass from Berger, with the type of vision which had been earlier missing from their play, and he outpaced both Tony Adams and Dixon before shooting low and accurately past Seaman, beating him at the far post. Liverpool held on to their lead for the few minutes remaining to win the final. Details 12 May 2001 15:00 BST Arsenal 1–2 Ljungberg 72 Owen 83 88 Report Liverpool Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 72,500 Steve Dunn (Gloucestershire) _arsenal0001h _arsenal0001h _arsenal0001h FFFFFF DD0000 FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF Arsenal _liverpool0001a _liverpool0001a _liverpool0001a FFBF00 FFBF00 FFBF00 000080 000080 Liverpool GK 1 ENG David SeamanRB 2 ENG Lee Dixon 90CB 5 ENG Martin Keown CB 6 ENG Tony Adams (c)LB 29ENG Ashley Cole RM 8 SWE Freddie Ljungberg 62 85CM 18FRA Gilles GrimandiCM 4 FRA Patrick VieiraLM 7 FRA Robert PiresCF 11FRA Sylvain Wiltord 76CF 14FRA Thierry HenrySubstitutes:GK 13AUT Alex ManningerDF 12CMR LaurenMF 15ENG Ray Parlour 76FW 10NED Dennis Bergkamp 90FW 25NGA Nwankwo Kanu 85Manager: FRA Arsène Wenger300px GK 1 NED Sander WesterveldRB 6 GER Markus BabbelCB 12FIN Sami Hyypiä (c)CB 2 SWI Stéphane HenchozLB 23ENG Jamie CarragherRM 13ENG Danny Murphy 77CM 17ENG Steven Gerrard CM 16GER Dietmar Hamann 57 60LM 7 CZE Vladimír Šmicer 77CF 8 ENG Emile HeskeyCF 10ENG Michael Owen Substitutes:GK 19FRA Pegguy ArphexadDF 27FRA Grégory VignalMF 15CZE Patrik Berger 77MF 21SCO Gary McAllister 60FW 9 ENG Robbie Fowler 77Manager:FRA Gérard Houllier Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shootout if scores still level. Five named substitutes Maximum of 3 substitutions. Statistics Statistic Arsenal LiverpoolGoals scored 1 2Possession 47% 53%Shots on target 7 4Shots off target 4 2Corner kicks 4 5Offsides 6 2Fouls 18 17Yellow cards 1 1Red cards 0 0Source:How they rated S8 News of the World 13 May 2001Football's Owen home S2 Matt Driscoll News of the World 13 May 2001 Post-match and aftermath Houllier was disappointed with Liverpool's start and noticed his players struggled with the humidity.Houllier celebrates Cardiff triumph https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/fa_cup/1327336.stm BBC Sport 12 May 2001 18 June 2015 He nevertheless saw set-pieces as an opportunity to score goals from and felt the equaliser turned the final in his team's favour: "Suddenly the confidence switches to the other camp. They're affected, they become a bit unsettled, and you keep going." Houllier revealed he gave a frank assessment of the task facing his players before the match; although in his words Arsenal were "... probably a bit better than us, probably more mature, more experienced, more ability in some areas", dealing with setbacks would make the difference on the day. He dismissed accusations that Liverpool were boring, rather describing his team as difficult to beat.Tables turn as Liverpool produce late knockout https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/3005314/Tables-turn-as-Liverpool-produce-late-knockout.html Henry Winter The Daily Telegraph London 15 May 2001 17 June 2015 Owen, the match winner, felt he answered his critics by scoring left-footed: "It's nice to prove people wrong when they say you haven't got a left foot. I was supposed to be the worst header and the worst player with my left foot in the league, and how could an England player play when they haven't got a left foot. ... It does go to show that I have improved and I am improving."I've nothing more to prove, says Owen https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/1328141.stm BBC Sport 13 May 2001 18 June 2015 thumb|200px|upright|Thierry Henry's performance received mixed reviews by the British press. Wenger lamented Arsenal's inability to make possession count, saying: "It has happened all season. We don't finish."Clinical Owen takes Arsenal to finishing school S3 James Lawton The Independent London 14 May 2001 He criticised the referee for not sending off Henchoz, especially as linesman Kevin Pike told him the Liverpool defender had committed a foul.Wenger: Ref Dunn us right in http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Football%3A+Wenger%3A+Ref+Dunn+us+right+in.-a074468231 Sunday Mail Glasgow 14 May 2001 18 June 2015 On reflection of the season, Wenger disagreed it was one of failure – "It is not easy to get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the final of the FA Cup and to finish in the top three of the Premiership in the same season", but admitted he needed to make signings to strengthen the squad.Wenger's trust again betrayed by Arsenal's lack of killer instinct S7 Matt Dickinson The Times 14 May 2001 Henry called for changes to Arsenal's forward line and felt the team would benefit from a "fox in the box", a player who would stay in and around the penalty area to score.Henry: We need box fox https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/1329408.stm BBC Sport 14 May 2001 27 February 2016 "When I make wide runs and put in crosses there is often no-one there to put the ball in the net. Owen was the hero because he is always in the right place. We need a goalscorer like that", he concluded. 250px #FFFFF0 left "On some occasions the will to win is more important than the skill to win." left Gérard Houllier speaking after the gameOwen fast forward to next blockbuster https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/14/sport.comment1 Richard Williams The Guardian London 14 May 2001 17 June 2015 Journalists and pundits reviewing the final praised Liverpool's tenacity; radio commentator Alan Green wrote in his News Letter column of 14 May 2001: "Simply, they never give up and when you have a player like Michael Owen within your ranks you believe that any situation can be rescued, as it was in the magnificent Millennium Stadium."'Old Empire' striking back 60 Alan Green The News Letter 14 May 2001 The Guardian correspondent David Lacey declared "The Owen of France '98 was reborn in Cardiff,"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/14/match.sport Five minutes that turned the world upside down David Lacey The Guardian 14 May 2001 6 April 2015 while Hugh McIlvanney of The Sunday Times called Owen "the master executioner of English football." McIlvanney felt over the 90 minutes the Arsenal team were "unlucky to lose", lauding Vieira's show in midfield.Gunned down by smiling assassin S3 Hugh McIlvanney The Sunday Times 13 May 2001 James Lawton's match report in The Independent was not as empathetic; although in praise of Henry's performance his indecision compared to Owen, demonstrated how "effect, not style, is everything" in football. Clive White of The Herald criticised Henry's lack of end product, using the final and Arsenal's European failure against Valencia to demonstrate how he would never be considered a "natural goalscorer".http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23848090.html https://web.archive.org/web/20150924191246/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-23848090.html usurped 24 September 2015 Owen shows how it's done; No hoorays for Henry as he fails to breach defence Clive White The Herald Glasgow 14 May 2001 6 April 2015 HighBeam Research subscription Ron Atkinson, writing in his tactics column for The Guardian noted Liverpool's winning goal only came about because of Arsenal's eagerness to attack, which left gaps in defence.https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/14/facup.sport2 How a moment's lapse lost the Cup for Arsenal Ron Atkinson The Guardian London 14 May 2001 6 April 2015 The final was broadcast live in the United Kingdom by both ITV and Sky Sports, with the former providing free-to-air coverage and Sky Sports 2 being the pay-TV alternative.The sporting week http://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+sporting+week%3A+Richard+Morgan+picks+the+highlights+on+TV.-a074461565 Richard Morgan The Mirror London 12 May 2001 30 December 2014 ITV held the majority of the viewership, with an overnight peak audience of 7.8 million viewers.Ratings – BBC1 hits right note with Euro singsong http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/ratings-bbc-1-hits-right-note-with-euro-singsong/1175283.article 18 May 2001 18 June 2015 Broadcast Top Right Group subscription Four days after the final Liverpool beat Alavés by five goals to four, to win the UEFA Cup and complete a treble of cup victories.Houllier hails brilliant Reds https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/uefa_cup/1335207.stm BBC Sport 17 May 2001 27 February 2016 Victory against Charlton Athletic on 20 May 2001 ensured Liverpool finished third in the Premier League and with that earn a place in the 2001–02 UEFA Champions League.https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/21/match.sport Houllier's rallying call produces final flourish from the men of May David Lacey The Guardian 21 May 2001 18 June 2015 Arsenal ended the season as league runners-up; a draw against Newcastle United was enough for them to secure second spot.https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/may/16/match.sport Silver medal for Gunners John Wardle The Guardian London 16 May 2001 17 June 2015 In his autobiography released a few years later, Gerrard reflected that Liverpool were fortunate to win, but was critical of Arsenal's "bitter" reaction: "Wenger and Ljungberg kept complaining about the hand-balls. Get real, boys. That's football. Grow up."Steven Gerrard Gerrard: My Autobiography https://books.google.com/books?id=ANmFyoITK_EC&pg=PA204 204 Random House 2012 978-1-4481-5446-3 He reserved special praise for his opponent Vieira however, saying a few days after the game: "It was my job to try and stop him, but he definitely got the better of me that day. He's such a great player. He's so fit, and he dictates the pace of a game. There are a lot of things you can learn just by watching him."https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/3006365/Gerrard-salutes-Vieira-the-master.html Gerrard salutes Vieira the master Matt Lawton The Daily Telegraph London 30 May 2001 20 November 2015 Assessing his career in a column for the Telegraph, Owen wrote that winning the cup was "...the best day of my career, the game I look back on more than any other and think it was the most exhilarating experience I ever had playing football."https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/fa-cup/10836532/Michael-Owen-Winning-the-FA-Cup-with-Liverpool-remains-the-highlight-of-my-career.html Winning the FA Cup with Liverpool remains the highlight of my career Michael Owen The Daily Telegraph London 14 May 2014 27 February 2016 See also 2001 Football League Cup final 2001 FA Trophy final References 2001 FA Cup Final 2001 FA Cup Final 2001 FA Cup Final Final Category:2000s in Cardiff FA Cup Final Category:Football competitions in Cardiff Category:Football finals in Wales