Arsenal booked a third successive FA Cup final appearance after a controversial first-half goal from Freddie Ljungberg earned the Gunners a fortunate 1-0 win over First Division Sheffield United at Old Trafford. United will feel aggrieved after dominating for long spells of a free-flowing encounter, but the game was decided when Ljungberg converted from close range on 34 minutes.
Referee Graham Poll played a major part in build-up when he collided with Blades midfielder Michael Tonge on halfway to take him out of the game, having seconds earlier failed to award United a free-kick following a clear foul on Wayne Allison by Sol Campbell.
Arsenal capitalised on these errors with Francis Jeffers setting Sylvain Wiltord up, but his side-footed effort struck a post before Swedish international Ljungberg slotted home the rebound to keep Arsene Wenger's men on track for a second successive double.
With one eye clearly on Wednesday's Premiership clash with title rivals Manchester United, Wenger rested Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Gilberto Silva, with the preferred strike-force of Jeffers and Wiltord failed to impress as the Gunners looked disjointed and ruffled by their spirited opponents.
Neil Warnock's First Division promotion hopefuls matched Arsenal in every position, with only Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour and David Seaman rising above the mediocrity of their team-mates, who were outplayed and outfought for large sections of the match.
Indeed, but for a world-class reflex save by Seaman, in his 1,000th professional appearance, from a Paul Peschisolido header in the closing ten minutes the result may have been different
Henry was introduced with 24 minutes left in an attempt to increase Arsenal's creativity, and he went close on a couple of occasions to adding a second. Michael Brown had two opportunities to equalise for Sheffield but in the end Arsenal held on for what proved a controversial win with referee Poll escorted from the pitch at the end of each half.
Filed by Shane Murray
