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1. 1987: Coventry 3-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Berzerker Brian Kilcline was at the heart of Coventry's defence but that didn't frighten Clive Allen, who claimed his 49th goal of a phenomenal season when he butted Spurs ahead inside two minutes. But that didn't cloud the Sky Blues' day, and they were back on terms just seven minutes later, when Dave Bennett latched on to a Keith Houchen flick and scooped the ball into the roof of the net. Both teams continued to tear at each other, Coventry's powerful direct approach contrasting with Spurs' more intricate interplay, though ultimately it was a scrappy goal that gave the lead back to Spurs, Gary Mabbutt scuffing home a Glenn Hoddle free-kick before half-time. Houchen scored his famous equaliser midway through the second half, charging 50 yards to meet Bennett's cross with a superb diving header. Coventry claimed their first major trophy when Mabbutt deflected a Lloyd McGrath cross past Ray Clemence and into his own net.
2. 2005: Arsenal 0-0 Manchester United
Proof that scoreless draws can be exciting. Thierry Henry was out injured and Arsène Wenger picked Philippe Senderos ahead of the waning Sol Campbell, while United went with Darren Fletcher instead of the (as everyone thought at the time) waning Ryan Giggs, yet the skill factor was superbly high. Arsenal couldn't live with United's cracking pace and crisp challenges, with Roy Keane lording it over Patrick Vieira, and Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo running the Gunners ragged. Yet Arsenal held on heroically and Vieira marked his last game for the club by netting the decisive penalty.
3. 2006: Liverpool 3-3 West Ham
Dreadfully low on quality - with the notable exception of Steven Gerrard's two stunning goals - but wonderfully high on drama. West Ham's opening scores may have come from a Jamie Carragher own goal and a Pepe Reina fumble but a two-goal lead for the underdogs set the scene for a thrilling tussle. Volleys from Djibril Cissé and Gerrard brought the sides level before the Hammers edged back into the lead courtesy of a spectacular fluke from Paul Konchesky. In dire need of an equaliser, Rafa Benítez made an odd substitution: hauling off Peter Crouch, who'd just had a goal harshly disallowed, for Dietmar Hamann. That enabled Gerrard to tear forward with even more regularity, though he was hampered by cramp. With seconds left, Gerrard summoned one of the great FA Cup goals, firing home from exactly 400,000 yards. A phenomenal Reina save in the dying moments of extra-time took the game to penalties, and then he was the hero in the shoot-out.
4. 1979: Arsenal 3-2 Manchester United
A fairly humdrum game until the 86th minute of normal time, when, with Arsenal leading 2-0 thanks to strikes from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton and a majestic display from Liam Brady, gangly centre-back Gordon McQueen pulled United back into contention. Sammy McIlroy then danced past two defenders to take the game into extra-time. Or so it seemed: moments later, Brady ghosted past three United defenders before knocking the ball out wide to Graham Rix, who floated it to the back post, from where permalicious striker Alan Sunderland slid the ball into the net for a dramatic winner.
5. 1981 (replay): Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 Manchester City
Subbed off in the first match, Ricky Villa ignited the replay four days later by shooting Spurs into an eighth-minute lead, but Steve Mackenzie equalised before the break with a ferocious volley. City went in front early in the second half when Kevin Reeves converted the first cup final penalty in 19 years. That was Tottenham's cue to go all-out attack and they eventually drew level in the 76th minute, Garth Crooks scrambling the ball over the line as awkwardly as he would pose banal questions for the BBC many years later. Villa then ensured his place in history by slaloming through the City defence before slotting the ball past keeper Joe Corrigan for a magnificent winner.
6. 1990: Manchester United 3-3 Crystal Palace
Palace took a surprise lead in their first-ever FA Cup final when Gary O'Reilly outjumped Gary Pallister to head home; Mark Bright almost gifted United an equalizer by heading into his own net, but Nigel Martyn saved brilliantly, though he couldn't do anything about Bryan Robson's leveller on 35 minutes, which deflected in off John Pemberton. Mark Hughes put United ahead in the second half and then, with 20 minutes to go, Steve Coppell decided it was time to throw on Ian Wright, who'd only just recovered from a broken leg. As he left the bench Wright declared, "I was born for this day," and within two minutes he proved his point, twisting past Pallister before steering in the equaliser. In extra-time Wright volleyed a second, only for Hughes to poop on Palace's party by snatching a late equaliser and forcing a replay, which was nowhere near as entertaining as the first match.
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