Reading vs. Arsenal: Winners and Losers from FA Cup

Arsenal will try to retain the FA Cup next month after a 2-1 extra-time semi-final win over Reading secured Arsene Wenger's side a return to Wembley Stadium.

A brace from Alexis Sanchez, either side of Garath McCleary's equaliser, proved enough for the Premier League outfit in an enthralling contest. The Gunners now wait to find who they will face in the final out of Aston Villa and Liverpool.

Read on for the winners and losers from Saturday's action.

Winner: Alexis Sanchez

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Alexis Sanchez celebrates his winner as Reading fans watch on in despair and disbelief.

Arsenal did not have to fight from behind against their Championship opposition on this occasion. But like last season's FA Cup semi-final, penalty shootout win over Wigan Athletic, this was largely uninspired fare from the Premier League's second-place club.

They passed tidily enough up until the final third, but struggled for inspiration unlocking Reading's almost tireless defence. When opportunities were created, the finishing of Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck was a little off.

The notable exception was the persistent and composed Alexis Sanchez—this week announced as a nominee for PFA Player of the Year. The Chilean provided further evidence of why he is deserving of such recognition.

His 21st and 22nd goals of the season were among his team's only real moments of quality in the final third.

The winner was aided by the ball slipping through Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici's grasp, but had arose following a typically clever cut-in run from Sanchez. The first was even better.

Picked out by Mesut Ozil's long, curling pass, the attacker brought it down and created more space by shifting it calmly in the opposite direction of McCleary's covering run. He then slot it clinically past Federici.

Arsenal's second did not arrive until the halfway mark of extra-time, and the intervening 67 minutes will not count as Sanchez's finest hour. Nonetheless, his willingness to keep at it played a big part in ensuring his team did not succumb to a resilient opponent in the Royals.

Losers: The Goalkeepers

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Wojciech Szczesny came away a winner but did not have a particularly good evening.

Federici's aforementioned mistake was a cruel conclusion to a performance which may have ended up with him becoming the day's most heroic performer in kinder circumstances.

The Australia international did mostly solid, if at times a little desperate work before the error.

His 69th minute save from Gabriel's bullet-header was excellent, though, and kept Reading's hopes of winning alive. Had they held out for penalties, he would surely have fancied his chances of upsetting Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and others.

Instead, Federici left the Wembley pitch disconsolate. His manager Steve Clarke was keen to support his goalkeeper post-match and talk up his overall efforts this season.

"We rally round Feds, he's been great for us, and when there's our vote for Player of the Season over the whole year, he'll win," Clarke told Reading's official Twitter page.

Federici's opposite number Wojciech Szczesny will be grateful for the Reading man's mistake. He was facing more intense scrutiny than he will now likely receive after a less culpable, but not much more flattering attempt to stop McCleary's goal.

Wenger admitted in his pre-Reading press conference that the Poland international's future beyond this season was uncertain, per The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke (though he hoped the 25-year-old would remain in north London). An iffy performance from the now second-choice 'keeper—extending to some erratic distribution and a couple of close calls in the box—might just raise further doubts in the Frenchman's mind.

Winners: The Premier League Prospects of Several Reading Players

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Garath McCleary and several of his team-mates may have put themselves in the Premier League shop window.

"On another day we could have gone through," Reading boss Clarke said after his side's defeat, again via the club's official Twitter. "The team were magnificent, and so were the fans."

Many watching who are not so familiar with Reading will wonder how they are as low as 19th in English football's second-tier.

Indeed, there were several fine individual displays to pick out from a collective performance Clarke will hope informs his side's attempts to secure their Championship status.

Although Arsenal's greater class did ensure they were able to find their way through at times (albeit they subsequently lacked the quality to finish off), the Reading defence were tough, focused and exceedingly well organised. A veteran of several loan spells at only 22 years of age, an at-times immense showing from centre-back Michael Hector will have done his hopes of a more stable future a lot of good.

Central midfield pair Danny Williams and Nathaniel Chalobah gave as good as they got against their Arsenal counterparts, winning several tackles and blocking the channels with admirable discipline. The latter, an England Under-21 international on loan from Chelsea may have caught the eye of a few Premier League clubs beyond the one which pays his wages.

Jamie Mackie has nine years on Chalobah but is only a couple removed from his brief experience in the top-flight with Queens Park Rangers. The gritty and canny attacker served a reminder of how his skill-set can be such a nuisance for current defenders so averse to being hounded so relentlessly.

Kieran Gibbs, Laurent Koscielny and their team-mates were barely allowed a moments rest by Mackie and also the exciting McCleary.

"I come from right at the bottom in non-league," the 26-year-old told the Football Association's official website prior to the match. "Ryman Division One with Oxford City, to Conference South with Bromley, and then up to League One with Forest."

After this, he might just get the chance to try his luck in the Premier League.

Losers: Reading's International-Experienced Players

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Pavel Pogrebnyak rues a missed chance for Reading.

Prior to Saturday's semi-final, former Arsenal schoolboy Hal Robson-Kanu spoke to WalesOnline about how the disappointment of being released by the Gunners had spurred him on in his career.

"When people don’t believe in you, it’s about believing in yourself and that’s what I did. I was always determined anyway as I grew up. I’ve seen loads of boys fall by the wayside. But I’ve shown what I can do and make that step."

Robson-Kanu's goals against Cardiff City and Bradford City helped Reading reach Wembley. He is also currently part of a Wales squad looking in good shape to reach next summer's European Championships. An achievements which would make them the first group to do so since the generation of Ivor Allchurch, John Charles and Cliff Jones made the 1958 World Cup.

Alas, Robson-Kanu was unable to utilise his international experience and did little to show his former club were wrong letting him go.

Anonymous throughout, his few opportunities on the ball were marked by poor crossing and little else. He was replaced by Jem Karacan on 90 minutes.

Another of Reading's men with international experience, Pavel Pogrebnyak was far more active and frequently threatened. He did excellently setting up his team's goal, driving to the byline then pulling it back.

Sadly the Russian showed little in the way of international class when it came to shooting opportunities of his own, stumbling as he bore down on goal when smoothness was required.

Pogrebnyak's work-rate could not be faulted, but his finishing could.

Winner: The Wenger Regime

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Arsene Wenger instructing his team prior to extra-time.

News of Jurgen Klopp's decision to part ways with Borussia Dortmund this summer has unsurprisingly led to speculation the successful German coach might head to England. One of the potential clubs again mooted as a potential destination was Arsenal.

Wenger scoffed at the possibility, describing the whole situation linking Klopp with jobs currently occupied as "a bit ridiculous," per The Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson.

Posing the question whether it was worth it for Arsenal to consider replacing the Frenchman with the soon-to-be available Dortmund boss, Bleacher Report's Daniel Tiluk sensibly decided no. "Releasing a proven Premier League commodity in Wenger appears too large a gamble."

The Arsenal hierarchy's loyalty to one of the club's most successful ever managers means them even contemplating replacing the 65-year-old is unlikely anyway.

Still, given the periodic doubts over Wenger which emanate from the Arsenal fanbase during their lean runs of form, it will not have hurt the Frenchman's position to have secured a shot at retaining their FA Cup crown—the Gunners' 19th appearance in the final, a record.

Coupled with what is looking like a strong finish to their Premier League campaign, a second trophy in two years would add credence to Mikel Arteta's belief this team is on the verge of something special.

"We are very determined now and we believe that we can beat any team," the captain told Arsenal's official website. "We’ve got the best squad that we’ve had for years—since I’ve been here, for sure the best squad in numbers and quality."

The performance against Reading did not necessarily reflect that. But the results are starting too.