Arsenal Vs Manchester City: Arsene Wenger Flashbacks And 2014

Arsenal take on Manchester in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, harkening back to Arsene Wenger’s difficult times before the 2014 FA Cup semi-final.

Step into a time machine, rewind the clock three years and enter the world of Arsenal football club once more, and you would be forgiven to think that you hadn’t been anywhere, either in time or space. An uncertain future. A divisive managerial figure. A crucial FA Cup semi-final set under a cloud of controversy and concern.

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Arsene Wenger took his team to Wembley nine years after the last trophy that he hoisted. Wigan were the opponents with an expectation that, being the best team left in the competition by some distance, the ever-prolonging trophyless pain would come to an end.

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And now, with his future again the topic of debate, Wenger leads his team back to Wembley, two years after defending the successful campaign that did indeed end their nine-year drought. When asked to look forward to Sunday’s semi-final against Manchester City and the mirroring that it shares with 2014, Wenger conceded that the pressure was, and now is, on, but was keen to highlight a few key differences between the two cases:

"“It was special pressure in 2014; this time it is a special opportunity. It was difficult for us in 2014. We were super-favourites. We also had not won a trophy for a long time and people questioned us about that. We had the opportunity in the semi-final [against a Championship club] to go to the final and win the Cup. Overall, the pressure was big. This time, it is really a 50-50 game. If you ask the neutrals, maybe they will say City are favourites, even.”"

Certainly, this game, like the penalty shootout win over Wigan, could have significant ripples on the future of the club. Win, and Wenger may be even more motivated to prove himself. Lose, and the increasing criticism from the fans will rise to truly deafening levels.

Wenger is right to point out the difference in competition. City are the favourites for Sunday’s tie, as they should be. Wigan, on the other hand, were a Championship side having been relegated the previous season and weren’t expected to pose a threat.

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Nonetheless, the pressure on Wenger has only intensified since that point, and while the two FA Cup victories starting in 2014 lifted the urgency to win a trophy, the dire displays of recent months in the Premier League and Champions League have only reasserted the need and the desperation to win. How Wenger would like the same result as last time around.