▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 ) ▁and ▁were ▁be aten ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁six ▁times . ▁By ▁comparison , ▁Liverpool ▁were ▁making ▁their ▁ 1 2 th ▁appearance ▁in ▁a ▁FA ▁Cup ▁final . ▁The ▁club ▁won ▁the ▁cup ▁five ▁times ▁( in ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ) ▁and ▁lost ▁six ▁final s , ▁most ▁recent ▁of ▁which ▁against ▁Manchester ▁United ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁Ar sen al ▁and ▁Liverpool ▁had ▁previously ▁met ▁th ir teen ▁times ▁in ▁the ▁FA ▁Cup , ▁including ▁four ▁re plays . ▁Ar sen al ▁had ▁a ▁sl ender ▁advantage ▁in ▁those ▁meet ings , ▁winning ▁five ▁times ▁to ▁Liverpool ' s ▁four . ▁Both ▁clubs ▁were ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁longest ▁ever ▁semi - final ▁in ▁FA ▁Cup ▁history ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁which ▁required ▁three ▁re plays ▁after ▁the ▁original ▁tie ▁ended ▁go all ess . ▁Brian ▁Tal bot ' s ▁goal ▁at ▁High field ▁Road ▁ear nt ▁Ar sen al ▁a ▁ 1 – 0 ▁victory . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁meeting ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁teams ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁Premier ▁League ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁Liverpool ▁recorded ▁a ▁ 4 – 0 ▁win ▁at ▁An field , ▁their ▁third - stra ight ▁victory ▁in ▁all ▁compet itions . ▁G ér ard ▁H oul lier , ▁the ▁manager