By Declan Taylor

The FA Youth Cup belongs to Arsenal for the first time in eight years after
a professional 2-1 victory at Anfield secured an emphatic 6-2 aggregate scor
eline against Liverpool in the Final.

Perhaps the damage was done four days ago in the first leg at Emirates Stadi
um but Steve Bould’s boys knew there was work to do on Merseyside.

Sanchez Watt scored the first goal, racing through the centre to prod a shot
in off the post in the 24th minute. Liverpool stuck at their task and grabb
ed an equaliser six minutes after the break through Lauri Dalla Valle. But A
rsenal had the last word when Daniel Ayala deflected Watt's cross into the n
et.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas lifted the trophy exactly 20 years to the day when his f
amous namesake, Michael, wrote his name in Club folklore with a dramatic tit
le-clinching goal at the same stadium. Steve Bould, a player that night, was
the proud coach on this occasion.

The former centre-back made one change to the side that started at Emirates
Stadium four days ago. That night, Emmanuel Frimpong hobbled off after 15 mi
nutes with Watt coming in to replace him. At Anfield, it was a similar story
.

Frimpong failed to shrug off his groin injury so Jack Wilshere dropped into
central midfield with Watt partnering Gilles Sunu up front in an orthodox 44
2.

After turning out in front of over 33,000 at the Emirates, it was nowhere ne
ar as many at Anfield but the ground’s old magic was still tangible. The Fi
elds of Anfield Road and You’ll Never Walk Alone were both belted out with
vigour before the sides lined up for the National Anthem. With nine English
starters in Arsenal’s starting XI, it was apt.

Bould had been a little disappointed by his side’s “nervous” start in the
first leg. But with a 4-1 aggregate advantage, there was no such danger thi
s time around.

That said, the hosts started with purpose and could have opened the scoring
in the ninth minute. Dalla Valle raced onto a slack back-pass by Tom Cruise
but saw his crisp effort saved brilliantly by James Shea.

Liverpool skipper Joe Kennedy would thwart both Sunu and Wilshere with brave
blocks before Arsenal took the lead in the 25th minute,

Watt, scorer of a wonderful third goal in the first leg, scurried onto Jay E
mmanuel-Thomas’ high up-and-over and nonchalantly prodded a low effort unde
r the approaching Dean Bouzanis. It was the youngster’s fourth goal in thre
e Youth Cup games – he has really come good at the season’s business end.

The goal may have felt like game, set and match for Arsenal but the home sid
e weren’t about to give up. Tom Ince, whose dad Paul was in the crowd, forc
ed Shea into a sprawling save with a skidding effort from the edge of the ar
ea just before the break.

A sprightly Liverpool emerged from the interval and they’d finally get some
reward within seven minutes. Dalla Valle who ploughed a lonely furrow at ti
mes evaded a couple of challenges on the edge of the area before slotting a
textbook finish past Shea from 15 yards.

Suddenly the Liverpool fans and players were alive again. It was 5-2 on aggr
egate and another goal may have started a few nerves jangling.

David Amoo was causing problems with some direct runs down the right-hand si
de but he was frustrated first by Bartley and then by the side-netting as th
e hosts searched for a lifeline.

In truth, Liverpool’s spell was brief and their new-found belief was rapidl
y ebbing away with each passing chance.

At the other end Arsenal were beginning to assume control once again. Wilshe
re curled a free-kick into Bouzanis’ midriff then Watt saw a vicious drive
superbly tipped over by the Australian keeper.

20 minutes from time the Gunners’ finally grabbed their winner. Again Watt
was the instigator with a typically bullish run to the byline. His low cut-b
ack was heading towards Wilshere in the area but Ayala inadvertently diverte
d the ball home before it got to the young Englishman.

Emmanuel-Thomas almost iced the cake with a sizzling long-range strike but B
ouzanis was at his very best to turn the ball over.

Liverpool pushed hard for an equaliser but Arsenal weren’t about to surrend
er their grip on the night’s victory.

It was testament to their professionalism that the young Gunners spent much
of the closing stages keeping the ball in the Liverpool corners - although t
he Cup was certainly won, they wanted to win on the night too.

And they did. It’s official, for the first time since 2001, Arsenal’s youn
gsters are the best in the country.
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