The Gunners had done the Double a year earlier, overtaking United in the run-in, and the two best sides in the country met at Villa Park, a happy hunting ground for the Reds, with something having to give.
Meanwhile, later in the day, Old Trafford was staging the other last-four tie between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
The pre-match build-up was punctuated by regular chants from the Arsenal contingent mocking ex-Spurs star Teddy Sheringham's decision to head north in a bid to earn some medals. He went to Man United and didn't actually win anything, is a cleaner version of their song.