Key events
59 min: Arsenal deal with the in-swinging corner easily enough.
58 min: Southampton keep Arsenal pinned back, and Bree crosses from the left. Mosquera is forced to head over his own crossbar under intense pressure from Stewart. Manning to take the corner from the right this time.
57 min: Lewis-Skelly ships possession in the middle of the park, allowing Fellows to scamper into the Arsenal box down the right and win a corner. Scienza wanders over to take it. It’s worked up and down the flank, and Scienza whips a dangerous cross into the mixer. Gabriel heads clear with yellow shirts lurking.
56 min: Scienza, quarterbacking from deep, nearly releases Fellows down the middle with a forensic defence-splitter. But Kepa races out of his area to bash clear. Southampton still looking to spring forward whenever the opportunity presents itself.
54 min: Martinelli sticks the corner under the crossbar. Peretz flaps it away. Martinelli comes back down the left. Fellows considers challenging from behind … then thinks better of it. Next to no contact. Not enough for Martinelli to go over and give the referee a decision to make.
53 min: Martinelli makes good down the left and loops a cross towards Dowman, who sends a low drive goalwards. Manning flings himself in the road and deflects the ball over the bar for a corner.
52 min: Gabriel slices a poor clearance straight out of play, to ironic cheering from the home support. Arsenal continue to look a little bit agitated.
50 min: Lewis-Skelly jinks in from the left and is clipped by Fellows. Everyone lines up on the edge of the Southampton box to wait for Martinelli’s delivery. But Odegaard suddenly pops up to take it instead, sending a flat one into the area. Jesus flicks it on daintily, and Peretz gathers without fuss.
48 min: Scienza spins around White and is hauled back for his trouble. For some reason, White doesn’t go into the book for that cynical foul.
47 min: There are two yellow balloons on the pitch. Nothing much else to report at the minute.
Saints get the second half started. No changes. “After their FA Cup final win in 1976, Southampton had the civic reception in the city,” begins Ian Burch. “Later that night and no doubt feeling a bit tired and emotional, Peter Osgood ‘borrowed’ the cup and drove it around the city in his car stopping off along the way and showing it off to anyone who wanted to have a look at it. Waking up the next day he suddenly remembered it was downstairs on his sideboard. Ossie of course is still the last player to score in every round of the FA Cup and to my generation will always be Chelsea’s greatest ever player. Fantastic.”
Half-time postbag. “It’s Easter time, isn’t it? Arsenal doing an excellent impression of Easter bunnies, with the back line especially seemingly dazed by whatever is going on in front of them. Chocolate provided by the chocolate–teapot effectiveness of one or two of those further up. And, sadly, experience suggests little chance of any resurrection of goal scoring from their nominal number nine. Severe talking-to wanted at halftime” – Charles Antaki
“Back in 1976, when Saints last won ‘the bloody thing’ (© Mick Channon), Rod Stewart had an album out titled A Night on the Town, with a single called Tonight’s the Night. I’m guessing young Ross Stewart will having one himself, if tonight’s Southampton’s night” – Justin Kavanagh
“Having Jesus on their side, Arsenal should know how to deal with crosses better. Because someone had to say it…” – Andy Gordon
“I’m hoping Pep and his City boys have paid to have this piped into the Arsenal dressing room at half time” – Simon ‘Tea-Time Whiskies’ McMahon
Half-time entertainment. A quick rummage through our Joy of Six archive has turned up this entry about that 1976 final. You know, seeing we’re on the subject. Enjoy, enjoy.
3) Southampton 1-0 Manchester United (FA Cup final, 1 May 1976)
Hey pop kids!!! Anyone for some raging pro-United Guardian bias?!? You love it, you lot, don’t you? Gertcha! Here goes, then, with the leader column of the Guardian on the morning of the 1976 FA Cup final between Manchester United and Southampton. “A newspaper can sit quite comfortably astride any convenient fence and say, for example, that though Manchester United are a glamorous footballing side, nevertheless Southampton have the romance of the underdog to set alongside the talent of Channon. Or vice versa. Wembley today, however, is no occasion for vice or versa. Manchester must win. A loss will be a disaster … Throughout the season, dismantling dour defence after dour defence, United have sent a dozen managers back to the drawing board. The repercussions, exhilarating already, will gain permanence if Manchester United gain a major trophy. Football will win if they win.”
Imagine if this newspaper – if any newspaper – had the chutzpah to publish something like this today. The bottom half of the internet would shear off and frisbee away into outer space, powered solely by the hot heat of disproportionate outrage, never to return. Something which may or may not give our current leader writers pause. But back in the day, opinions were tolerated in the adult fashion. David Lacey, while acknowledging the skills of Mick Channon, Jim McCalliog, Peter Osgood and Paul Gilchrist, suggested that “evenness of talent is not Southampton’s strength” and that they would in all probability “bow to the inevitability of Manchester’s speed and accuracy … the outcome appears to be a question of how rather than who – a dangerous presumption, as Sunderland demonstrated in 1973.”
A dangerous presumption indeed, as Lacey recognised after Bobby Stokes had fizzed home a late winner – destined to remain forever an offside controversy thanks to shaky camerawork – to stun Wembley and the wider world. “There were even those who felt that a win for Southampton might be bad for football because it would mean a stifling of Manchester’s ingenuity and a reaffirmation that at the last defensive methods brought the best rewards. The course of the game did not bear this out. Certainly those who had come along on a sunny May Day hoping to be enthralled by a pageant of United’s talents were disappointed, but Southampton created more scoring opportunities and while their play was based on a broad defensive platform, in no way could their performance be described as negative.”
United’s league season had petered out spectacularly – the title was in their hands at the end of March, but they ended the season trailing Liverpool and QPR after unexpected defeats to Ipswich and Stoke City – and their Cup challenge ended rather lamely too. They started off the stronger side, but were continually caught offside, losing heart quickly. Sammy McIlroy hit the bar with a header, but that was the sum total of their efforts in the final. In the first half, McCalliog sent Channon clear with a raking pass down the middle. Alex Stepney saved, but could do nothing when McCalliog repeated the trick for Stokes on 84 minutes. It would not be the last time Saints humbled United in the FA Cup – in 1992, Tim Flowers famously went on a demented pitch-long celebratory charge after his side triumphed in the first FA Cup penalty shootout involving top-flight teams, having been slightly fortunate to hold United to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, Bryan Robson heading home a ghost goal, unnoticed by the officials – but this was the big one.
Southampton were welcomed back to the city by a crowd of 175,000 as their team bus wound its way through the streets for 19 miles. United, too, were whisked to a civic reception, though their nine-mile tour was rather more muted. “With no cup to wave,” reported the Guardian, “United had a flat cardboard replica fastened to the front of their bus instead.” What the paper’s leader writer thought of this “glamorous” state of affairs is not known.
HALF TIME: Southampton 1-0 Arsenal
This scoreline doesn’t flatter Saints at all.
45 min +1: Dowman probes down the right and cuts back for Norgaard, who sends a fierce drive through a crowded box. No deflection, and it’s straight into Peretz’s arms.
45 min: There will be one additional minute.
43 min: The announcement of a VAR check for a potential handball by Lewis-Skelly in the Arsenal box. But when the replay rolls, it’s clearly nothing of the sort. Panic over for Arsenal.
41 min: A comedy of errors as Kepa comes racing out of his box to clear. The ball drops to Havertz, who miscues a slice straight to Azaz. Fortunately for the walkabout keeper, Azaz can’t get the ball out from under his feet to lob home from distance. When the effort eventually comes, it’s harmless. Arsenal are rattled, though.
40 min: Odegaard prepares to tear off into space down the right. But he’s penalised for shoving Jander in the back. The Arsenal captain is livid, his frustration betraying him.
39 min: Bree’s delivery is no good, though.
38 min: White’s misery continues, as he clumsily brings down Scienza, just to the left of the Arsenal box. A free kick in a very dangerous position.
37 min: White has the good grace to look embarrassed. He completely mistimed his jump, and Stewart chested down and finished with aplomb. St Mary’s is pumping!
GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Arsenal (Stewart 35)
Scienza, in the left-back position, starts a counter attack. The ball’s switched to Bree on the right. He loops into the Arsenal box. White leaps, misjudges the flight, and the ball sails over his head. It drops to Stewart on the penalty spot. Stewart stays calm, chesting down and steering a shot into the bottom right! Lovely sweeping move, such a calm finish, but what an error by White!
34 min: Fellows twists and turns out on the right to make himself some space. Cute play, but the cross that follows is no good. Saints continue to show promise whenever they get upfield.
33 min: White’s lax backpass nearly lets Stewart in. Kepa hacks clear just in time.
32 min: The resulting corner is a non-event, Norgaard penalised for some pushing and shoving.
31 min: Havertz dances in from the right and aims for the far corner. His shot takes a deflection off Wood and loops towards the top left. Peretz is out of the game, but the ball misses the frame of the goal by inches.
30 min: … and here he comes again, swaying down the right and shooting low and hard towards the bottom right. Peretz does well to block and turn the ball around the post, especially as there’s a yellow balloon nearby, floating around, putting him off. Just a corner, which Saints deal with. Then Peretz bursts the balloon.
28 min: Manning’s got to watch himself now, and Dowman knows it. The young man slaloms towards the Saints defender, hoping to get the better of him down the right. This time Manning times his challenge well. Goal kick. But this duel is heavily weighted in favour of Dowman now.
27 min: Dowman advances down the right only to be crudely clattered from behind by Manning. He goes into the book, and won’t play in the semi if Saints make it through.
26 min: Martinelli zips down the left and cuts back for Odegaard, in space ten yards out. Odegaard shapes to shoot, but kicks the ball against his standing leg. It pings harmlessly out for a goal kick.
25 min: Odegaard has a dig from the edge of the box. It’s heading into the bottom right. Peretz parries away from danger.
24 min: … and from that, Arsenal probe patiently, until Dowman takes a shot that’s blocked the second it leaves his boot.
23 min: Odegaard rolls a pass wide right for White, who claims his cross was deflected out of play by Scienza’s elbow. No penalty, though, just a corner.
22 min: Martinelli very nearly spins clear of Bree down the left, but the Saints full back sticks to his side and eventually steals off with the ball. Both teams looking lively in attack.
20 min: Stewart hares after a long pass down the middle. Mosquera ushers the ball back to his keeper, but needs to strain every sinew to hold off the striker. A good physical battle.
18 min: Gabriel misjudges a header on the halfway line, and suddenly Scienza is away! He glides in from the left and reaches the box, but instead of taking an early shot, tries to round Kepa on the right. That allows Mosquera to get back and flick the ball off his toe before he can send the ball goalwards.
17 min: The corner leads to a long game of head tennis. Finally Jesus curls a shot towards the top right. Inches wide, with Peretz unsure, scampering over to shepherd the ball around the post.
15 min: Scienza and Stewart bustle down the left, their combination nearly opening Arsenal up. Then Arsenal counter, Martinelli winning a corner with a dribble down the left. This is an entertaining, open game.
13 min: Dowman crosses from the right. Saints clear. Suddenly Stewart is bombing up the right on the counter. Gabriel does just enough to stop him tearing clear. Instead a crossfield ball is pinged towards Azaz, who can’t chest down and control on the left-hand edge of the Arsenal box. Once again, though, Saints look dangerous when they spring upfield.
11 min: Two more Arsenal corners in the sequence come and go. Peretz claims the second of them. Arsenal’s first period of sustained pressure is over.
10 min: Odegaard wanders over to take the corner. It’s worked back up the wing to White, who rolls infield. Martinelli pearls a rising shot towards the top-left corner. It’s heading in, a well-worked move … but Harwood-Bellis is on point to flick a header over the bar. That saved a certain goal.
9 min: Martinelli chases after a long pass down the left. He cuts inside and shoots, but Bree flings himself in the road of the shot and sends a looping deflection out for a corner on the right.
7 min: Stewart ploughs down the left and rolls infield for Bragg, who has time and space to shoot, 25 yards out. He looks for Fellows to his right instead, and makes a mess of the pass. This is all very promising for Saints, who look dangerous every time they pile forward.
6 min: Dowman dribbles his way down the inside-right channel and glides infield. He opens his body and rather telegraphs a sidefoot to the far corner. Easy for Peretz in the Southampton goal.
5 min: A first touch for pantomime villain Ben White of England. Booooo! All a bit half-arsed and performative, if we’re being honest.
3 min: Now it’s Scienza racing upfield, into acres of space down the left. He should take a shot upon entering the box, but attempts to chop his way infield, past Gabriel. He goes over, claiming a penalty. The referee’s not interested, the player going down early and looking for the contact with the defender’s leg.
1 min: Saints are on the front foot immediately, Fellows romping into space down the right. He takes one touch too many, though, allowing Lewis-Skelly to put a stop to his gallop. An early statement of intent from the hosts.
Arsenal get the ball rolling. Plenty of noise, the St Mary’s faithful marching in.
The teams are out! Saints in Bobby Stokes yellow and blue, Arsenal in Ted Drake red and white. Smoke billows across the pitch, the remnants of a pre-match pyro party. It’ll clear soon enough, and we’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
Mikel Arteta speaks to TNT Sports. “The boys really wanted to play immediately after the [Carabao Cup] final … today we have another opportunity … that is the beauty of football … we are looking forward to it … you have to adapt … full trust in the team … it is great to have [Martin Odegaard] back … [Kepa] deserves to play … he has been exceptional … [Southampton] are in a great run … we are desperate to go back to Wembley.”
Some more on that 1976 FA Cup win. The memories of Southampton’s manager that day are very much worth revisiting …
… as is this from Philip Millard: “Fun fact: my mum and Auntie Sadie were at some fancy hotel in London for a Masonic ladies night. Southampton were there, celebrating that cup win. In the days before ‘selfies’ and all that, they followed Mick Channon, who was hanging onto the cup, into the gents’ toilets so they get their hands on it. The cup, that is.”
Southampton’s 33-year-old boss Tonda Eckert cuts a calm figure as he talks to TNT Sports. “It is a big game for us … we had the whole week to prepare … we are up for it … we are confident that we have found some ways to bring our game onto the pitch … [Arsenal] is a good team … a lot of quality … not easy to press them … we need to stay switched on … to suffer some moments … to be brave … have the courage to play … find some moments on the ball … make it an open game.”
Arsenal get to wear their first-choice red and white this evening. This is because Southampton will be dressed in yellow and blue, commemorating the 50th anniversary of their victory in the 1976 FA Cup final. Those are the colours they sported at Wembley as Bobby Stokes scored late on for Lawrie McMenemy’s second-division side, shocking hot favourites Manchester United. The commemorative shirt has the signatures of all the players in the cup-winning team woven into the fabric, and only 1,976 individually numbered replica shirts have been produced. Fans have been encouraged to follow suit with the retro colour scheme tonight, so let’s see if they comply.
Southampton make five changes after the 2-0 Championship win over Oxford United. Nathan Wood, Cam Bragg, Caspar Jander, Léo Scienza and Ross Stewart come in for Cameron Archer, Shea Charles and Cyle Larin, who are benched, and Flynn Downes and captain Jack Stephens, who miss out altogether.
Arsenal make seven changes following the Carabao Cup final, the most eye-catching of which is a start for 16-year-old Max Dowman. Cristhian Mosquera, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Christian Nørgaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and captain Martin Ødegaard also step up; William Saliba, Viktor Gyökeres and Martín Zubimendi are on the bench, while Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Piero Hincapié and Leandro Trossard are all absent.
The teams
Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood-Gordon, Manning, Bragg, Jander, Fellows, Azaz, Scienza, Stewart.
Subs: Long, Quarshie, Romeu, Charles, Edozie, Robinson, Archer, Oyekunle, Larin.
Arsenal: Arrizabalaga, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Norgaard, Dowman, Havertz, Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus.
Subs: Raya, Saliba, Gyokeres, Madueke, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Harriman-Annous, O’Neill, Salmon.
Referee: Sam Barrott (West Yorkshire).
Preamble
Their unfortunate no-show at the League Cup final apart, Arsenal have taken some stopping this season. Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester United required dramatic late goals to best them in the Premier League and … er … that’s it. So on the face of thing, this should be a shoo-in for the leading club in England against second-tier opposition. Especially as Arsenal have won 45 of their last 48 FA Cup ties against teams from lower divisions; they’ve won 14 of their last 16 quarter-finals; tonight’s opponents Southampton have lost all of their last five quarter-finals against top-flight opposition; and Arsenal are four from five against the Saints in the FA Cup, a record that includes victory in the 2003 final.
But nothing’s ever that simple in the FA Cup. Arsenal may have that 80 percent record against Southampton in this competition, but it’s Saints who won the last meeting, 1-0 in January 2021. And while Arsenal are this season’s form team in England, Saints aren’t on a bad roll either, unbeaten in 14 games, having won six of their last seven. Fold in the fact that Arsenal’s victory at St Mary’s on the final day of last season was only their seventh win in 18 visits, at a venue where they’ve tasted defeat six times, and suddenly things aren’t quite so crystal clear.
You’d still expect the quadruple- treble-chasing Premier League leaders to prevail tonight; of course you would. But the FA Cup is fond of the odd surprise, and Arsenal have a crucial trip to Sporting Club coming up in three days’ time, so you just never know how this will pan out. The story begins at 8pm BST. It’s on!
