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Arsenal's stubborn refusal to admit FA Cup semi-final defeat to Wigan can silence Arsene Wenger's detractors and propel the Gunners to a top-four Premier League finish, according to Thomas Vermaelen.
Belgium defender Vermaelen hailed Arsenal's 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Wigan at Wembley on Saturday, praising Wenger's side for grinding their way to the final.
French Under-21 striker Yaya Sanogo wasted a hatful of chances to put Arsenal out of sight before Jordi Gomez handed Wigan the lead from the spot.
Per Mertesacker headed Arsenal level before the game meandered to penalties, where goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski pulled off two saves to seal victory.
Vermaelen hopes Saturday's nervy victory will ease pressure on both Arsenal and under-fire manager Wenger, as the Gunners bid to end their stint of nine years without silverware.
Arsenal: The latest match picturesShow all 75 1 /75Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Aaron Ramesy celebrates after scoring the winning goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Laurent Koscielny prods the ball in for the equaliser and is injured by Allan McGregor in doing so
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Bacary Sagna wins the header that would lead to Laurent Koscielny's equalising goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla jumps into the air in celebration after pulling a goal back for the Gunners
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla curls in a superb free-kick to get Arsenal back into the game
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies and his Hull teammates celebrate after Hull go 2-0 up
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies slams in Hull's second on the rebound after Lukasz Fabianski pushes Alex Bruce's header onto the post
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester celebrates with his Hull teammates after scoring the opening goal after just four minutes
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester and Alex Bruce celebrate going in front with Arsenal players looking on
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 A young Norwich fan holds up a sign
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Fit again Jack WIlshere competes with Bradley Johnson
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Carl Jenkinson celebrates scoring the away side's second, his first goal for the club
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey celebrates scoring for Arsenal against Norwich
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Norwich 0 Arsenal 2 Aaron Ramsey scores a superb volley to put the Gunners ahead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 The Arsenal players line-up before the match
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 West Brom manager Pepe Mel looks on from the sidelines
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mesut Ozil escapes the attention of James Morrison
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Olivier Giroud heads Arsenal into a 14th minute lead
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Olivier Giroud celebrates his goal against West Brom
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mikel Arteta turns away from Diego Lugano
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Mathieu Flamini unleashes a shot on goal
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Santi Cazorla brings the ball under control
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 West Brom 0 Arsene Wenger waves to the Arsenal crowd after the final whistle
Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud climbs highest to head in his side’s third goal of the night
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 German midfielder Mesut Ozil, right, celebrates with Frenchman Olivier Giroud after scoring the second goal of the night
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0 French defender Laurent Koscielny celebrates after opening the scoring
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Arsene Wenger rues an early missed opportunity
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 The game is held up while players remove advertising hoardings blown on to the pitch
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Aaron Ramsey scores Arsenal's opening goal of the game
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Aaron Ramsey celebrates after opening the scoring in Arsenal's win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Tom Huddlestone beats Santi Cazorla to a header
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski volleys in Arsenal's second goal just before half-time
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Hull players protest to referee Jonathan Moss after Nikica Jelavic was fouled in the build-up to Arsenal's second goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Mesut Ozil in action for Arsenal in their 3-0 win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski nets his second and Arsenal's third after Steve Harper failed to hold Aaron Ramsey's shot
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Arsenal 3 Lukas Podolski celebrates his second goal in Arsenal's win over Hull
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Kim Kallstrom leaps for the ball last night, when he made an encouraging start for Arsenal after a long injury lay-off
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski hammers in Arsenal's third
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud puts Arsenal ahead with his weaker right foot after showing sublime touch to get the ball under control
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Oliver Giroud kisses the Arsenal badge after giving the Gunners the lead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Lukas Podolski equalises with a precise, powerful finish
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 3 West Ham 1 Players, fans and officials observe a minute's silence to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster prior to kick-off
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Wigan 1 Arsenal 1 (Arsenal win 4-2 on pens) Thomas Vermaelen (third from right) celebrates with penalty-saving goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski after his crucial final save
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Wigan 1 Arsenal 1 (Arsenal win 4-2 on pens) Arsenal's Per Mertesacker celebrates his late equaliser at Wembley in this FA Cup semi-final
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas celebrates Everton's third
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Kevin Mirallas has an effort on goal but the ball comes off Mikel Arteta for an own goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Ross Barkley has an effort on goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku celebrates his goal with manager Roberto Martinez
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Romelu Lukaku goes on a driving run and cuts inside to smash home Everton's second
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith celebrates his goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Steven Naismith slots home Everton's opening goal with a cool finish
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Bacary Sagna goes in for a tackle on Leighton Baines
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Everton 3 Arsenal 0 Leon Osman receives treatment and has to go off after a clash with Bacary Sagna
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Edin Dzeko can't believe that his deflected effort goes wide
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates his equaliser for the Gunners
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mathieu Flamini celebrates after putting Arsenal level
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Olivier Giroud remonstrates with referee Mike Dean
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Mikel Arteta plays the ball past Jesus Navas
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Tomas Rosicky battles for the ball with Yaya Toure
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Martin Demichelis confronts Tomas Rosicky after the Arsenal player's tackle leaves Gael Clichy injured
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 The Arsenal players walk back to half way line looking dejected after conceding the opening goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 David Silva and Edin Dzeko celebrate after the Spaniard's opening goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Yaya Toure holds off Santi Cazorla
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 1 Manchester City 1 Fernandinho holds off the challenge of Mathieu Flamini
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Mathieu Flamini scores a late own goal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Oliver Giroud finishes a fine move to put the Gunners 2-1 up
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Lukas Podolski levelled the score with a volley
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Arsenal 2 Swansea 2 Wilfried Bony uses his head to give Swansea the lead
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Arsene Wenger complains to the referee during an awful day on his 1000th game in charge of Arsenal
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his first goal for Chelsea and his side's sixth on the day
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Chelsea players celebrate as Tomas Rosicky looks away
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Oscar helps himself to his second of the afternoon
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Wojciech Szczesny can't quite believe whats happening
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Oscar taps in for Chelsea's fourth
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Arsenal: The latest match pictures Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0 Eden Hazard scores from the penalty spot to put Chelsea three up
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"There was a lot of talk about needing the result for a few different reasons, for the manager and showing we could fight and I think we did that," said Vermaelen.
"It will give us a boost for the rest of the season now, we can move forward with confidence.
"I'm very happy that we'll go to the final, that's why you play these games of course.
"It was a long game with extra-time and penalties, it's never easy but it's a good win."
Hailing Poland stopper Fabianski's spot-kick heroics, Vermaelen admitted Arsenal had practised penalties in the previous week's preparations.
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker celebrates his late equaliser (Getty Images) "We did have some practices but I wasn't down to take one," he said.
"Lukasz is an outstanding goalie, he works hard for it; he works so hard that he deserves this."
Arsenal host West Ham on Tuesday night in a quickfire return to Premier League action, but Vermaelen said the tight schedule must not cause any problems.
"It was a long day and a quick turnaround but we've done that before, playing Saturday and Tuesday, so we can't use that as an excuse," he said.
"I don't think they will come to the Emirates and just settle, I think they will come to win.
"We have to make sure we compete hard for the victory now because they certainly will."
France striker Olivier Giroud challenged Arsenal to end their trophy drought and lift the FA Cup, for boss Wenger as much as anyone else.
"It's been a long time without a trophy as everyone knows, and now we have an excellent chance to change that," said Giroud.
"We really want to win it for the fans, for the club and for the boss as well, it would be huge for him."
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