Aaron Ramsey insists that although the build-up to a match at Wembley is the same throughout the week, once you get there, it’s different.

  • Arsenal v Manchester City kicks off at 3pm on Sunday 23 April
  • Gunners have lost and drawn against City in the league this season
  • Wenger’s won FA Cup 6 times
  • Ramsey describes playing at Wembley as ‘spine-tingling’

Arsenal face Manchester City for the third time this season at Wembley on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-finals and it’s fair to say that there’s a huge amount of pressure riding on this result from the Gunners’ point of view.

For one, it’s Arsenal’s only chance at Silverware this season and while City are in the same boat, they’re almost definitely going to finish in the top four AND this is Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge of a team in a completely new league. He’ll be cut plenty of slack if he fails to win.

Arsene Wenger, however, will not.

Given the season Arsenal have had, this feels like a last ditch attempt to make it not completely pointless.

Ramsey hopes so too.

“We’ve had success at Wembley before, so hopefully we can have more. Personally I love playing at Wembley,” the midfielder revealed.

“It’s the same build-up throughout the week but as soon as you get on the team bus to the hotel, it feels different.

“When you head towards Wembley and you look through your window to see the stadium, the build-up changes at that point.“It’s spine-tingling, exciting and you can’t wait to get out there and perform. I love the competition.

“I scored against City in the Community Shield a couple of years ago and in the FA Cup final of course, and we have had a bit of success there.

“Hopefully we can continue that. We haven’t had this line-up in the semi finals of the FA Cup for a long time so it’s going to be very tough from here.

“If you want to win it, you have got to beat everyone in front of you. The FA Cup is fantastic with plenty of great stories to be told from down the years.

“These semi-final ties look like they will be added to the history. They are mouth-watering for the neutral. We want to remember them for the right reasons.”

Hopefully, this ‘different’ feel will produce a different type of performance from our team.