Sport

FA Cup showdown

( LEFT - RIGHT ) Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane

LONDON (AP)

PATRICK VIEIRA SAYS Arsenal are better than when they won the league title last year without losing a game.

Yet the Gunners will wind up without a title this season if they lose tomorrow's FA Cup final to Manchester United.

"The way we have played this year, I think we deserve to win a trophy," Vieira said. "We have played fantastic football this season, better even than last year. We have taken it to a different level."

The Arsenal captain was one of the stars as his team put together a record run of 49 unbeaten league games, including all 38 in last season's Premier League.

This season, he couldn't stop Chelsea winning the title by 12 points. The Blues lost just once and won a record 29 times.

"We did not win the Premiership and we are not in the Champions League final, so the only trophy left for us is the FA Cup," Vieira said.

He believes Arsenal have improved their attacking form while making mistakes in defence.

Arsenal's unbeaten streak ended in October with a 2-0 loss at Manchester United, sparking a run of one win in six games.

Now Manchester United and Arsenal meet again, with the losers set to end the season without a trophy. United are aiming to stretch their record of FA Cup wins to 12, while the Gunners are in the final for the fourth time in five seasons.

Vieira's midfield confrontation with United's Roy Keane may be the key to who collects the famous trophy at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Important player

"He's a really important player for Manchester United," Vieira said of Keane. "I feel I'm a really important player for Arsenal and both players will want to win the game."

Although Thierry Henry will be absent because of injury, players like Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Robin van Persie and Dennis Bergkamp could turn the final into a showpiece.

But the key players may be in the heart of midfield. Provided, that is, they stay on the field for 90 minutes.

When it comes to disciplinary records, Vieira and Keane have notorious reputations.

The two argued before walking out at Highbury this season. Keane accused Vieira of bullying his United teammate Gary Neville as the teams stood in the tunnel and had to be calmed down by the referee.

Both teams go into the final with distractions behind the scenes.

United has a new owner, American businessman Malcolm Glazer, who last week bought a controlling 75 per cent shareholding in the club even though he has never been to England to see it play.

Fans have threatened to demonstrate at the final to illustrate their anger at the takeover by the owner of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Arsenal's preparation for the final has been affected by a Premier League disciplinary hearing into allegations that rival Chelsea tried to hire defender Ashley Cole.