Arsenal will face either Aston Villa or Liverpool after squeezing past Reading in today's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley

Published: 18 April, 2015 
By TOM FOOT at Wembley Stadium 

ARSENE Wenger praised the “stubborn resilience” of Alexis Sanchez after his Wembley brace bagged Arsenal a place in the FA Cup final. 

The Gunners manager singled out his summer signing sensation after a “difficult” 2-1 win over Reading this evening (Saturday).  

He said: “He looked to be struggling to get into the game at the beginning. But he has that stubborn resilience, and that individual potential, that allows him to create something special and win a game.”

Sanchez’s late winner will live long in the memory of Reading fans and goalkeeper Adam Federici who let a tame strike dribble through his legs, while the teams were locked at 1-1 in extra-time. 

He left the field in tears and Wenger described him as “distraught”, adding: “In the end we were a little bit lucky.”

Sanchez opened the scoring on 39 minutes, collecting a perfect pinpoint pass from the influential Mesut Ozil, before calmly cutting back across the defender and rolling the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.

The Gunners looked at that point to be in complete control, despite an unusual sluggishness to their build-up play. But Reading swarmed all over them at the start of the second half and, on 54 minutes, Garath McCleary got a deserved equaliser, volleying past a stumbling Wojciech Szczesny from close range.

Wenger said: “It was difficult to find space in the second half. I was surprised how strong they were in the challenges, and in the second half they were even stronger. 

"It was a difficult game, against a resilient, physically strong and committed Reading team.” 

Wenger compared the match to last year’s semi-final against Championship side Wigan at Wembley, when Arsenal produced a similarly scrappy performance and had to rely on spot-kicks to go through. 

Wenger said: “We have improved because then we needed penalties." 

The win means Arsenal have reached a record 19th FA Cup final. They are tied with Manchester United as 11-time winners of football’s most famous trophy and Wenger could also make it a record-equalling six wins as manager if his team triumphs in May. 

“If we can beat the record, we will be very happy,” Wenger added. 

ARSENAL: Szczesny, Mertesacker (Gabriel, 62), Monreal, Koscielny, Debuchy, Coquelin (Walcott, 100), Ramsey, Cazorla, Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck (Giroud, 71).
Substitutes not used: Ospina, Monreal, Flamini, Wilshere, Flamini.
Attendance: 84,081

ARSENAL COMMENT by Steve Barnett

AS I walked up Olympic Way this afternoon I got chatting to life-long Arsenal fan Ched Manning, a North Banker from the Highbury days. The 57-year old said his wish was for manager Arsene Wenger to win a trophy in each and every one of his last three years at the helm. 

"Let's face it, Wenger can't go on forever, and all the signs are that he'll move upstairs when his current contract expires," said Ched, who lives in Holloway. 

"He's had some real highs, and some real low lows in his time at the club. It would be great to see him go out in a blaze of glory – and to have the send-off that he deserves." 

Well, after stumbling past Reading, Arsenal are now one win away from not just retaining the FA Cup, but becoming the greatest club in the competition's history. They will have won it an unrivalled 12 times, and, in doing so, Wenger will be confirmed as the most successful FA Cup manager ever – having lifted the trophy aloft six times. 

If the whispers about the Frenchman being board-bound are true, then having "greatest ever FA Cup manager" on his CV would surely be a fitting legacy, especially for a man once accused of disrespecting the competition by playing weakened sides. 

Let's just hope Aston Villa or Liverpool don't spoil the party.