2001 FA Cup Final: Liverpool 2-1 Arsenal
The first final outside England

The footage

▶

2001

The match report

The 120th FA Cup final was played on Saturday 12 May 2001 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, in front of 72,500 spectators, on a hot and sunny afternoon. It was the first final in the competition's history staged outside England. Wembley had closed the previous October for rebuilding, and after considering Twickenham, Murrayfield and Villa Park the Football Association had settled on the Welsh capital for the next three finals. The pitch had been relaid only that month, and the BBC blamed its sluggishness, together with the heat, for the low tempo of the first half.[1][11][2][21][20]

Arsenal were in their 14th final and Liverpool their 12th, a repeat of the 1971 final that Arsenal had won on the way to the double. Both managers were French, Arsene Wenger and Gerard Houllier, and each had a famous forward to leave out. Houllier ended his rotation of strikers and paired Emile Heskey with Michael Owen, dropping Robbie Fowler, who had scored in the Worthington Cup final win over Birmingham City in February, to the bench; Owen had not played in that match at all. Wenger resisted recalling Dennis Bergkamp after injury and started Sylvain Wiltord alongside Thierry Henry, with Gilles Grimandi beside Patrick Vieira in midfield and Ashley Cole preferred at left back to Silvinho, who did not make the substitutes' bench.[17][21][2][3][15][13]

Arsenal controlled the first half without scoring. Heskey went down under Grimandi's challenge in the seventh minute and referee Steve Dunn waved the appeal away. Ten minutes later came the incident Arsenal would still be arguing about at the end. Vieira won the ball from Heskey, Freddie Ljungberg released Henry, and the Frenchman rounded Sander Westerveld only for his shot to be turned wide by the arm of Stephane Henchoz on the goal-line. Neither Dunn nor his assistant, Kevin Pike, saw it, and Arsenal were not even given a corner. Liverpool, content to defend deep and hit long balls towards Heskey, managed one effort of note before the interval, Owen's shot from a Heskey flick-on in the 20th minute, which was blocked.[3][11][2][1]

Liverpool at last threatened after the break, Heskey's header from Danny Murphy's free-kick drawing a reaction save from David Seaman in the 48th minute, but the pattern soon reasserted itself. In the 56th minute Henry was denied by Westerveld and Cole's follow-up from close range was cleared off the line by Sami Hyypia, the Liverpool captain. Dietmar Hamann was booked for a foul on Vieira and Houllier replaced him with Gary McAllister around the hour. Ljungberg was booked too, then chipped Westerveld from the edge of the area, only for Hyypia to head the ball off the line again.[3][11][2][1]

The goal came in the 72nd minute, and it came from a mistake. Westerveld's poor clearance was worked to Robert Pires, whose angled pass sent Ljungberg clear; the Swede rounded the goalkeeper and finished with his left foot. Two minutes later Henry was through again between Hyypia and Henchoz, took one touch too many and was blocked by Westerveld, and his scuffed follow-up was cleared off the line by Hyypia for the third time that afternoon. Wenger sent on Ray Parlour for Wiltord to protect the lead, and Houllier answered at once with Fowler and Patrik Berger for Murphy and Vladimir Smicer.[3][11][12][1]

With eight minutes left Martin Keown, who had just produced the best defending of the game to dispossess Owen, met McAllister's free-kick from the left with a header that went straight up in the air. Markus Babbel nodded it down and Owen, his standing foot sliding from under him, hooked a volley past Seaman for the equaliser. Five minutes later Berger's long pass from inside his own half sent Owen racing past Lee Dixon, and before Tony Adams could cover he swept a left-footed shot across Seaman and into the far corner. Houllier had been criticised for starting with McAllister and Berger on the bench; both goals came from their passes.[3][12][13][1][2]

Wenger said afterwards that it was obvious Arsenal should have won and that they had been denied a clear penalty. Houllier admitted his side's play had not been good and that they had struggled with the heat, but said he had told his players before kick-off that Arsenal were probably the better team and that mental strength would decide the final. Owen, who had been left out of the Worthington Cup final 11 weeks earlier and had now scored eight goals in four games, used the win to answer those who said he could not use his left foot. Henry, whose finishing had cost Arsenal, asked publicly for a partner who would stay in the penalty area, a fox in the box, and named Owen as the model.[2][4][13][5][6][12]

Four days later Liverpool beat Alaves 5-4 in Dortmund to win the UEFA Cup and complete a treble of cup wins, and victory at Charlton Athletic on the last day of the league season took them into the Champions League. Arsenal drew at Newcastle United three days after the final to finish runners-up for the third season in succession, and Wenger said the club had to buy a couple of world-class players if it was to become great again. The final was shown live in Britain by both ITV and Sky Sports, and ITV's coverage peaked at 7.8 million viewers.[21][12][16][6][5]

How the match unfolded

1. 1'Arsenal kick off in sunshine. Robert Pires wins the first corner but Sander Westerveld claims his cross.[3][11]
2. 6'Steven Gerrard's sliding tackle halts Sylvain Wiltord. The Guardian's live log has it a minute earlier.[3][11]
3. 7'Emile Heskey outpaces Tony Adams and goes down under Gilles Grimandi's challenge. Referee Steve Dunn waves the penalty appeal away.[3][2][11]
4. 17'The incident of the match. Patrick Vieira robs Heskey, Freddie Ljungberg puts Thierry Henry clean through, and Henry rounds Westerveld only for his shot to be turned wide by the arm of Stephane Henchoz on the line. Neither Dunn nor his assistant sees it and Arsenal are not even given a corner. The Guardian times it at 16 minutes.[3][2][1][11]
5. 20'Liverpool's best moment of the half: Heskey flicks on a throw and Michael Owen's crisp shot is blocked, with Gerrard firing the rebound over. The BBC credits the block to Adams; the standard reference work says Martin Keown.[3][11][21]
6. 24'Henry tries an overhead kick from Wiltord's cross and misses the target.[3][11]
7. 45'Half-time, 0-0. Arsenal have had the possession and the chances; Liverpool have sat deep and hit long balls to Heskey.[3][11][1]
8. 48'Heskey rises unchallenged to Danny Murphy's free-kick and David Seaman palms the header away with his left hand. The Guardian logs it at 47.[3][11][2]
9. 56'A double let-off for Liverpool. Vieira's tackle sets Arsenal away, Henry is denied by Westerveld, and Ashley Cole's stab at the loose ball is cleared off the line by Sami Hyypia.[3][11][2][1]
10. 57'Dietmar Hamann is the first player booked, for bringing down Vieira.[3][2]
11. 61'Gary McAllister replaces Hamann. The sources put this substitution at 59, 60 and 61 minutes.[3][19][1][11]
12. 62'Ljungberg is booked for a late challenge on Vladimir Smicer.[3][11][1]
13. 68'Ljungberg chips Westerveld from the edge of the area and Hyypia heads it off the line, his second clearance. The Guardian has this at 66 and the BBC's match report at 67.[3][11][2]
14. 72'Goal. Westerveld's poor clearance is worked to Pires, whose angled pass sends Ljungberg clear. The Swede rounds the goalkeeper and finishes left-footed. Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool.[3][11][1][19]
15. 74'Henry is through between Hyypia and Henchoz, takes one touch too many and is blocked by Westerveld. His scuffed follow-up is cleared off the line by Hyypia for the third time.[3][11][12][1]
16. 76'Ray Parlour replaces Wiltord as Arsenal try to protect the lead. Liverpool answer within a minute by sending on Robbie Fowler and Patrik Berger for Smicer and Murphy.[3][1][19][11]
17. 81'Gerrard's through ball almost frees Owen but Keown gets back to dispossess him: the best piece of defending in the match according to the Guardian, which times it at 80.[3][11][12]
18. 83'Goal. Arsenal fail to clear McAllister's free-kick from the left, Markus Babbel nods the ball down and Owen turns to volley past Seaman. Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool. The Guardian's clock says 82.[3][1][19][11]
19. 85'Kanu replaces Ljungberg.[3][1][19]
20. 88'Goal. Berger's long pass from inside his own half sends Owen racing past Lee Dixon and, before Adams can cover, he sweeps a left-footed shot across Seaman into the far corner. Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool. The Guardian's clock says 87.[3][1][19][12][11]
21. 90'Dennis Bergkamp replaces Dixon as Wenger's last throw. Three added minutes are signalled.[3][1][19]
22. 93'Fowler is denied by Seaman with the last chance of the match. Full-time: Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool.[3][1]

Match facts

Date

Saturday 12 May 2001

Venue

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Attendance

72,500The figure printed on the FA's own match page, in the BBC's clockwatch and the Guardian's live report, and in the RSSSF archive. All four give the same round number.[1][11][19][3]

Referee

Steve Dunn[1][2][11]

Scorers

Freddie Ljungberg 72'
Michael Owen 83'
Michael Owen 88'[1][2][19][11]

Half-time

0-0

Competition

2000-01 FA Cup

Where they played

Both sides as they lined up. Choose any player to read what they did in this final.

Select a shirt for that player's note.

Route to the final

Line-ups

Trivia and detail

• The final was a re-run of the 1971 final, in which Arsenal had beaten Liverpool 2-1 after extra time to complete the double.[17][20]
• It was the first FA Cup final in which neither manager had been born in the British Isles: Wenger and Houllier are both French.[21]
• Owen had been left out of Liverpool's Worthington Cup final side against Birmingham City at the same stadium 11 weeks earlier, and afterwards spoke of the need not to sit back and sulk when dropped. Fowler, who scored in that final, was the one dropped this time and had said he would be totally gutted to miss out.[13][15][2]
• Silvinho, Arsenal's Brazilian left back, did not make the bench; Cole was preferred after both had played in a reserve match to prove their fitness during the week.[3][15]
• Wiltord scored in every round of Arsenal's run up to and including the quarter-final, and two of his goals came off the bench against the holders Chelsea in the fifth round.[8][18]
• The clubs had met thirteen times before in the FA Cup, and their 1980 semi-final needed three replays before Brian Talbot's goal at Highfield Road settled it for Arsenal.[21]
• The finalists received about 52,000 tickets between them, priced at 20, 40 and 55 pounds, with some seats above 70 pounds. Touts were reported to be asking as much as 1,000 pounds.[21]
• Wenger had spoken before the final in favour of moving FA Cup ties to midweek, arguing that a club chasing the cup while playing in the Champions League had to sacrifice league points.[21]
• Liverpool's semi-final against Second Division Wycombe Wanderers was won by two late goals, from substitute Heskey and from Fowler, and Wycombe still scored in the dying seconds.[7][19]
• Gerrard collected his first FA Cup winner's medal and called Owen the little fellow who worked wonders. McAllister, who had been disappointed to be left out of the starting side, said he could hardly believe what was happening.[4]
• Owen said the following day that the trip to Charlton in the last league game was now Liverpool's most important match, because a place in the Champions League depended on it.[5]

How well do you know the 2001 final?

Five questions. Every answer is sourced from the material on this page.

1. Who scored Arsenal's goal in the 2001 FA Cup final?

   Freddie LjungbergThierry HenryRobert PiresSylvain Wiltord
   Answer

   Freddie Ljungberg. Ljungberg ran on to Pires's pass after Westerveld's poor clearance, rounded the goalkeeper and scored in the 72nd minute.[1][3]

2. Why was the 2001 final played in Cardiff?

   Wembley had closed for rebuilding and the FA chose the Millennium Stadium for the next three finalsThe FA wanted to reward Wales for hosting the 1999 Rugby World CupWembley's pitch had failed a safety inspection that weekBoth clubs asked for a neutral venue outside London
   Answer

   Wembley had closed for rebuilding and the FA chose the Millennium Stadium for the next three finals. Wembley closed in October 2000 and, having considered Twickenham, Murrayfield and Villa Park, the FA announced in January 2001 that the next three finals would be held in Cardiff. It was the first final staged outside England.[21][12]

3. Which Liverpool defender stopped Henry's first-half shot with his arm on the goal-line?

   Stephane HenchozSami HyypiaMarkus BabbelJamie Carragher
   Answer

   Stephane Henchoz. Henry rounded Westerveld and his shot was turned wide by Henchoz's arm. Neither the referee nor his assistant saw it, and Wenger said afterwards that Arsenal had been denied a clear penalty.[2][11]

4. How many Arsenal efforts did Sami Hyypia clear off the line?

   ThreeOneTwoFour
   Answer

   Three. Hyypia cleared Cole's effort in the 56th minute, headed away Ljungberg's chip, and then blocked Henry's scuffed follow-up two minutes after Arsenal had scored.[2][12]

5. Which two Liverpool substitutes provided the passes for Owen's goals?

   Gary McAllister and Patrik BergerRobbie Fowler and Patrik BergerGary McAllister and Robbie FowlerSteven Gerrard and Danny Murphy
   Answer

   Gary McAllister and Patrik Berger. McAllister's free-kick led to the equaliser and Berger's long pass sent Owen clear for the winner. Both had started the final on the bench.[2][12][4]

What is not settled

Honesty matters more than tidiness. These details are contested or unrecorded, and we have not guessed at them:

• The referee's home is given as Bristol by the FA's page, the BBC's match report and the Guardian's live report, and as Gloucestershire by the standard reference work. RSSSF gives only England. We print the name alone.
• Owen's goals are timed at 83 and 88 minutes by the FA, the BBC's clockwatch and RSSSF, and at 82 and 87 by the Guardian's live log; its clock runs a minute behind on every late event. Ljungberg's goal is 72 in every account, although the FA's prose says the breakthrough came after 71 minutes while its goals line says 72.
• Substitution minutes differ: McAllister 59 (Guardian), 60 (FA) or 61 (BBC, RSSSF); Parlour 75 or 76; Fowler and Berger 77 (BBC, FA, Guardian) or 78 (RSSSF); Kanu 84 or 85; Bergkamp 89 (Guardian, RSSSF) or 90 (BBC, FA). The record uses the FA's minute where the BBC agrees with it, and the BBC's otherwise.
• The Henchoz handball is placed in the 16th minute by the Guardian's live log and by the BBC's match report (ten minutes after the seventh-minute Heskey incident), and in the 17th by the BBC's clockwatch and the FA. We use 17.
• Owen's blocked shot in the 20th minute is credited to Tony Adams by the BBC's clockwatch and to Martin Keown by the standard reference work. The Guardian's live log names nobody.
• Hyypia's headed clearance from Ljungberg's chip is timed at 66 by the Guardian, 67 by the BBC's match report and 68 by the BBC's clockwatch.
• The equaliser is described as going in by the right-hand post (the FA) and the left-hand post (the Guardian's David Lacey), and the accounts differ on whether Keown's header preceded Babbel's. See the originality item.
• No contemporary source gives a temperature. Wikipedia's 24C is cited to a Weather Underground page for 7 August 2005; we describe the day as hot and sunny, which is what every witness wrote, and give no figure.
• The FA's page lists bookings for Ljungberg and Hamann and the BBC's clockwatch times them at 62 and 57 minutes; the standard reference work's statistics table agrees with one yellow card each. The BBC's match report mentions only Hamann's booking.
• The claims that the final was broadcast in 70 countries to an audience of close to 600 million rest on a Cardiff Council economic-impact study cited by Wikipedia that is only available as a PDF our verifier cannot read, so they are not repeated on this page.
• No footage from a rightsholder has been verified for this final yet, so the television shows no signal rather than an unchecked embed.

How we know

Every claim on this page is tied to a numbered source below. These are the contemporary records behind it, each one fetched and matched word for word before publication rather than taken on trust:

• The FA's own match page for the 2001 final: report, both line-ups with substitution minutes, bookings, goals, attendance and referee · The Football Association (archived by the Internet Archive)
• Matt Hughes's live minute-by-minute report, 12 May 2001, with line-ups, referee and attendance · The Guardian
• David Lacey's match report, 14 May 2001, naming the man of the match · The Guardian
• Richard Williams, 14 May 2001, with Houllier's and Babbel's post-match words · The Guardian
• Ron Atkinson's tactics column on the winning goal, 14 May 2001 · The Guardian
• Sean Ingle's pre-final selection story, 11 May 2001: Houllier on leaving out a high-profile player, Fowler's reaction, Arsenal's injuries · The Guardian
• John Wardle on Arsenal's draw at Newcastle three days after the final, 16 May 2001 · The Guardian
• David Lacey's semi-final report, Old Trafford, 9 April 2001 · The Guardian
• David Lacey's report of Arsenal's fifth-round win over the holders, 19 February 2001 · The Guardian

Where a primary record and a modern account disagree, we show both rather than choosing the tidier number.

Sources

1. Reds grateful for Owen's late, late show · The Football Association (archived by the Internet Archive)
2. Owen shatters Arsenal in Cup final · BBC Sport
3. FA Cup final clockwatch · BBC Sport
4. Houllier celebrates Cardiff triumph · BBC Sport
5. I've nothing more to prove, says Owen · BBC Sport
6. Henry: We need box fox · BBC Sport
7. Liverpool end Wycombe's fight · BBC Sport
8. Gunners blitz stuns Blackburn · BBC Sport
9. Liverpool too slick for City · BBC Sport
10. Liverpool stun Leeds · BBC Sport
11. Arsenal 1 - 2 Liverpool: minute-by-minute action · The Guardian
12. Five minutes that turned the world upside down · The Guardian
13. Owen fast forward to next blockbuster · The Guardian
14. How a moment's lapse lost the Cup for Arsenal · The Guardian
15. Heskey to start tomorrow · The Guardian
16. Silver medal for Gunners · The Guardian
17. Pinpoint Pires has the final say · The Guardian
18. Wiltord picks Chelsea's pocket · The Guardian
19. England FA Challenge Cup 2000-01 · RSSSF
20. England FA Challenge Cup Finals · RSSSF
21. 2001 FA Cup final · Wikipedia

Elsewhere in the encyclopedia

These two clubs have met in a final before

• 1971 Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

Other finals involving these clubs

• 1979 Arsenal: Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
• 1988 Liverpool: Wimbledon 1-0 Liverpool
• 1998 Arsenal: Arsenal 2-0 Newcastle United
• 2002 Arsenal: Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
• 2003 Arsenal: Arsenal 1-0 Southampton
• 2005 Arsenal: Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United

Other finals at Millennium Stadium

• 2002 Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
• 2003 Arsenal 1-0 Southampton
• 2004 Manchester United 3-0 Millwall
• 2005 Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United
• 2006 Liverpool 3-3 West Ham United

Elsewhere on WhatChan