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With a long weekend of cup action ahead, nine teams from outside the top flight remain, each hoping for an eventual place in the 138th FA Cup Final.
Last season’s victors Chelsea face Manchester United on Monday night in a game that could be pivotal in deciding the future of respective managers, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Maurizio Sarri.
Harking back to the pitch surfaces of old, minnows Newport County are vying to be the first team from outside the top division to win the competition since 1980 as they welcome Manchester City to Rodney Parade.
“Just look at Newport County. Look at the conditions they are playing on. I think that’s brilliant. That’s the FA Cup for you all over,” says Terry Paine, World Cup winner with England.
“I was absolutely delighted when I saw the pitch. That’s what the FA cup was all about.”
Show all 21 1 /21Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1997: Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough A game that will go down in the history books for Roberto Di Matteo’s thunderbolt inside a minute. Ruud Gullit became the first black manager to win a major English trophy.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1993: Arsenal 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday’s most recent FA Cup was lost after extra time and a replay. Ian Wright and Chris Waddle took the game to extra time before Andy Linighan’s header in the final moment.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2002: Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea A closely fought match was separated by two stunning strikes to the top corner. Individual brilliance from Ray Parlour and Freddie Ljungberg.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1976: Manchester United 0-1 Southampton Finishing sixth in the second division, Southampton were massive underdogs heading into the match against third in the top flight Man United. Bobby Stokes left-footed volley was the winning goal on 83 minutes.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2017: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea An early goal from Alexis Sanchez amid offside claims was cancelled out by Diego Costa. Just three minutes later, Gunners had their record 13th title secured by another Aaron Ramsey Wembley goal.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1980: West Ham United 1-0 Arsenal West Ham hero Trevor Brooking scored the only goal after 13 minutes in the last FA Cup Final to be won by a team outside the top flight.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1966: Everton 3-2 Sheffield Wednesday Everton reached the final without conceding a goal, but Wednesday were two up with half-an-hour to play. The Toffees became the second side ever to come from two goals down and win the final.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2014: Arsenal 3-2 Hull City (AET) Hull City were two goals up inside eight minutes against Arsenal but could not hold on. Goals from Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny took the game to extra time before Aaron Ramsey stabbed home to break Hull hearts.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2016: Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester United (AET) Alan Pardew danced on the touchline when Jason Puncheon put Palace up but Juan Mata took the game to stoppage time before Jesse Lingard thumped into the top corner, securing United’s 12th FA Cup.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1973: Leeds United 0-1 Sunderland Leeds were a dominant force in English football when second division Sunderland became the first tem outside the top flight to lift the trophy since West Brom in 1931.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1990: Crystal Palace 3-3 Manchester United (AET) In the first all-seater final at Wembley, Ian Wright and Mark Hughes bagged braces for their respective clubs in an enthralling match that resulted in a replay – won 1-0 by United.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2013: Manchester City 0-1 Wigan Athletic Ben Watson’s 91st minute header against Premier League champions from the previous year made Wigan the first ever club to win the FA Cup be relegated in the same season.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1979: Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United The ‘Five-minute Final’ embodies the sentiment that frantic finishes are a staple of the FA Cup. Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead with four minutes left and Alan Sunderland still grabbed the winner.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1989: Liverpool 3-2 Everton (AET) Five weeks after the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool and Everton met in the FA Cup Final. A 90th minute Toffees equaliser took the fixture to extra time at 1-1 before a brace from substitute Ian Rush won the cup for Liverpool.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1988: Liverpool 0-1 Wimbledon Wimbledon’s one and only FA Cup triumph came courtesy of a Lawrie Sanchez header. The club had only been in the Football League for 11 years when they beat the reigning English champions.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2001: Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool The first FA Cup Final held at the Millennium Stadium was enthralling as Michael Owen scored two in five minutes to cancel out Freddie Ljungberg’s opener, winning the game at the death.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1981: Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Manchester City A final pebble dashed with incredible strikes was clinched by an all-time great FA Cup goal. Ricky Villa’s jinking run into the box and finish will never be forgotten by Spurs fans.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals Coventry City 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur (AET) John Motson described this game as, “the finest Cup Final” when commentating. Behind twice, Coventry levelled and dragged the game into stoppage time. ‘Gary Mabbutt’s Knee’ is now a Coventry fanzine after the Spurs man’s own goal gifted Sky Blues the win in dramatic fashion.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 1953: Blackpool 4-3 Bolton Wanderers Coming back from 3-1 down to win in stoppage time is motivation enough for this final to be considered an all-time great. The match was dubbed ‘The Matthews Final’ for Stanley Matthews’ performance, despite teammate Stan Mortensen scoring a hat-trick.
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Ranking the 20 greatest FA Cup finals 2006: Liverpool 3-3 West Ham (3-1 on pens) Seconds from securing a first FA Cup trophy since 1980, West Ham could not have imagined they would find themselves despairing on the Millennium Stadium turf. Steven Gerrard struck a 30-yard half-volleyed thunderbolt to take the game into extra time where the Reds would win on penalties.
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Stark contrast to the surface that could greet the 16 sides left in the competition if they win just two more rounds.
The new Wembley will host its 13th FA Cup Final, but what are the competition’s 20 greatest ever finales?
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