EMIRATES FA CUP FINAL 2020 ARSENAL vs CHELSEA - SATURDAY 1st AUGUST

ARSENAL - 2 Aubameyang 28' (pen) 67'
CHELSEA - 1 Pulisic 5'

Kick Off 5:30pm Live on BBC1
The greatest domestic cup competition in the world finally reaches it's conclusion for this season and should have the BBC's full attention today across the national network as they build up to the big show. It's not quite the treatment from the BBC that it used to be in the past, no episodes of Cup Final Mastermind, or the like this weekend and of course the kick off is 5:30pm and not 3pm where it traditionally should be but never mind. 

This season is the 139th FA Cup Final and we've got ourselves a London Derby with Arsenal vs Chelsea a repeat of the 2017 final won by an Arsène Wenger led Arsenal 2-1 and only two of that starting XI survive now Héctor Bellerín and Granit Xhaka. 

If you can remember when there was life before the Premier League and the FA Cup was THE final game of the season it used to go on all day, Mastermind, Question of Sport, watching the team coaches head to the old stadium, the twin towers and hoards of fans walking down 'Wembley Way' from the station I don't think the teams even think about having a FA Cup final song anymore (remember Chas and Dave with Ossie's Dream anyone). Chelsea still sing that "blue is colour" song from the 70s which is still better than that awful 'one man went to mow...' of course this season has been far from normal and having this Cup Final in August is just one of them.
12pm
We start our FA Cup Final Saturday with FOOTBALL FOCUS, Dan Walker presents the weekly magazine programme ahead of the FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea he will be joined at Wembley by Alex Scott and Dion Dublin there's a lack of supporting programs but hopefully they can fill the hour with interviews from the managers who are both in their first season with their clubs and one of whom will be lifting their first trophy as a manager.

4.30pm
Gary Lineker hosts live coverage of the 139th FA Cup final at Wembley, where he should be joined by regular guest pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer. Back the 'under 1 minute' market for the time it takes someone to mention that Shearer has never won the cup.

• Arsenal reached their 21st FA Cup final with a 2-0 victory over last season's winners Manchester City, managed by Mikel Arteta now they are the record holders of this competition and this is their last chance to book a place in Europe for next season, it will be their 4th appearance in the final in the last seven years, they won those previous three.
• Chelsea have reached their 14th FA Cup final. Only their opponents Arsenal (21 including this season) and Manchester United (20) have made the final on more occasions, Chelsea of course beat a rather lacklustre Manchester United side 3-1 in the semi final.

Alan Shearer and Ian Wright provide expert analysis and then we are almost ready to end the build up as the teams come out about 5:15pm for the traditional ceremonies and we will be treated to the traditional Cup Final anthem 'Abide With Me' kick-off is scheduled for 5:30pm.

The line ups will be confirmed during the course of the afternoon's program, we've just left them as per the semi final games initially and will update when team sheets are known; 

ARSENAL Team News;

Martinez (Gk)

Holding    David Luiz   Tierney 

Bellerín    Ceballos    Xhaka    Maitland-Niles

Pépé    ⚽Aubameyang (c)    Lacazette

Subs -- Macey (Gk),  Papastathopoulos,  Torreira,  Nketiah,  Nelson,  Willock,  Kolasinac,  Smith,  Saka

CHELSEA Team News;

Caballero (Gk)

🟨Azpilicueta (c)    Zouma    Rüdiger 

James    Jorginho   🟥Kovacic    Alonso

⚽Pulisic    Giroud    🟨Mount

Subs -- Arrizabalaga (Gk),  Christensen,  Abraham,  Pedro,  Kanté,  Hudson-Odoi,  Barkley,  Tomori,  Emerson

Our match referee for today's showpiece final will be Anthony Taylor who will become the first referee to take charge of two FA Cup finals since 1901 when Arsenal face Chelsea at Wembley on 1st August. Referees usually take charge of the FA Cup final just once in their career. Taylor from Wythenshawe, Manchester previously took charge of the 2017 Cup Final ironically also between Arsenal and Chelsea, the Gunnars winning 2-1. Taylor will be joined by assistant referees Gary Beswick (Durham FA) and Adam Nunn (Wiltshire FA), fourth official Chris Kavanagh (Manchester FA) and reserve assistant referee Lee Betts (Norfolk FA).

The FA Cup Final will of course feature VAR and Stuart Attwell (Birmingham FA) will be the video assistant referee (VAR), and will be joined at Stockley Park by assistant VAR (AVAR) Steve Child (London FA).

My best bets are for a high scoring game, so back the over 3.5 goals market [@9/4]. Also think a penalty awarded is a good bet [@5/2] as well as backing Giroud to score against his former club [@4/1] as long as he starts the tie (which he does). While Willian is also a strong bet at any time [@11/4] but he doesn't appear in the line up sadly so we'll go with Pulisic instead, and also with Granit Xhaka to score a rare goal for the gunners [@10/1] ... picked up a few there nice.

Latest Odds (from William Hill)

ARSENAL - 11/5  /  Draw - 12/5  /  CHELSEA - 6/5