This will be the third time Arsenal and Manchester City have duked it out in the FA Cup semi-finals. City, pretty much the finished article, are strong favourites to beat the Gunners, who are not, not yet. But history - plus Arsenal’s staunch display against the new champions Liverpool the other night - suggest all is not lost.

City were favourites three years ago, too, and on that April 2017 day at Wembley, set about showing why. They had a goal incorrectly disallowed. They were controversially denied a strong penalty appeal. They hit the woodwork twice. Sergio Aguero made the breakthrough, but Arsenal stayed in touch, Nacho Monreal forced an equaliser, and Alexis Sanchez prodded a winner in extra-time. Pep Guardiola ended the season trophy-less for the first time in his career. What a fraud! He’ll never win anything at City, on a wet night in etc., and so forth, and so on.

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