Arsenal vs Chelsea: Why victory against the Blues will mean more to the Gunners than winning the FA Cup final

Arsenal will face Aston Villa on 30 May in a bid to retain their FA Cup crown, but face league leaders Chelsea this weekend in a must-win game for their development

Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho clash on the touchline (GETTY IMAGES)

It took extra-time and the howler of all howlers from Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici to see Arsenal through to another FA Cup final, but somehow they managed it. They also received a welcome boost on Sunday when Aston Villa knocked Liverpool out of the competition to set a 30 May showdown with the Gunners.

But if Arsenal need to win a game before the end of this season, it’s this Sunday – not the FA Cup final.

That’s not to say that Arsenal don’t need to win at Wembley next month, they certainly do. But if they can beat Chelsea at the Emirates this weekend in the Premier League, they will have beaten all other clubs currently residing in the top-four. Having seen off Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool in recent weeks, a victory over Chelsea would to endless amounts of good for the squad’s development.

Trophies help, of course they do, but the realistic scenario Arsenal find themselves in is defending FA Cup holders having beaten Hull after-extra-time last season and favourites to retain their title against relegation-threatened Aston Villa – two games that you’d have to admit a squad with the likes of Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez should be winning rather comfortably.

Then there is the streak that Arsenal fans’ would rather not talk about. The streak that sees Arsene Wenger having never emerged triumphant when faced against Jose Mourinho. If Wenger can get that monkey off his back and the squad can head into next season off the back of beating all four of their main rivals, the Premier League title suddenly becomes a realistic possibility.

However, defeat at home against the Blues will not only see Mourinho’s side one step closer to regaining the title – which they should do win or lose this weekend such is their current 10-point buffer – but will further damage the mentality of the squad that they can’t outsmart the Blues.

Wenger rallies the troops during extra-time on Saturday (Getty Images)

Defeat to Aston Villa will hurt too, but that’s what makes a cup final special; the fact that any team on any given day can turn up and claim the spoils. But if they lose once again to Chelsea having been comprehensively beaten at Stamford Bridge 2-0 earlier in the season, the long-term effects could be detrimental to this side’s growth that has come on leaps and bounds over the last 15 months.