2017 FA Cup Final previously met 13 times in the FA Cup. Arsenal held an advantage in those meetings, winning seven of the last eight. Chelsea, however, won the last FA Cup tie, a 2–1 victory in April 2009. This was the second FA Cup final to feature both sides; the first was won by Arsenal in 2002. The most recent meeting between the two teams was a league encounter in February 2017. Chelsea beat Arsenal by three goals to one, a result which moved them 12 points clear in first position. The win was significant given Chelsea lost the reverse fixture 3–0 in
1996–97 FA Cup 1996–97 FA Cup The 1996–97 FA Cup (known as The FA Cup sponsored by Littlewoods for sponsorship reasons) was the 116th season of the FA Cup. The tournament started in August 1996 for clubs from non-league football and the competition proper started in October 1996 for teams from the Premier League and the Football League. The tournament was won by Chelsea with a 2–0 victory over Middlesbrough in the final at Wembley stadium. The First Round featured those non-league teams who had come through the qualifying rounds and the teams from the third and fourth tiers of the English football