Fans make their way to the stadium from the tube station

Though this Villa fan arrived via a more luxurious mode of transport. Wonder if it’s Prince William’s car?

Villa fans with masks.

Inside the ground the Villa fans are enjoying themselves before kick-off.

The two teams line up.

The band before they play the National Anthem, which was sung by Alfie Boe.

anti Cazorla is dispossessed by Ashley Westwood as Arsenal have the better of the early stages.

Aston Villa keeper Shay Given flaps at an Arsenal cross.

Westwood controls the ball as Alexis Sánchez and Tom Cleverley look on.

Kieran Richardson attempts to block Héctor Bellerín’s cross.

Sánchez uses a bit of fancy control to wrong foot Cleverley.

Five minutes before half-time Arsenal get the lead that their pressure deserved. Sánchez rises above Villa’s unconvincing centre-halves, heading back across for Theo Walcott, who enters the area from the left and thwacks a blistering volley into the net.

Five minutes after half-time Arsenal double their lead when Sánchez, 30 yards out down the inside-left channel, drops a shoulder to move inside, then unleashes a swerving, rising shot that deceives Given and whips into the roof of the net.

Sánchez wheels away …

Then a huge leap and a grin shows he’s rather pleased with that finish, and so he should be, it was rather fabulous.

Being two goals to the good and with such a dominant performance the Arsenal fans are sure that the FA Cup will be staying at the Emirates.

Make that three goals to the good, as just after the hour mark, a corner comes in, Per Mertesacker rises, and carefully plants a header into the net.

Mertesacker acknowledges the celebrating Gooners.

That third goal was the signal for this Arsenal fan to adorn his carefully painted FA Cup trophy with the Arsenal ribbons.

Christian Benteke had a quiet game and wasn’t able to help Villa get back into the match.

Jack Wilshere, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Francis Coquelin tussle for the ball

The Villa fans wait for the final whistle to put them out of their misery. However their humiliation is complete during injury time when Olivier Giroud turns in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shot to make it Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa.

The final whistle goes and Arsenal have won the FA Cup for a record 12th time.

Jack Grealish’s posture says it all.

As does that of Villa’s manager Tim Sherwood.

As the Arsenal players celebrate just after the final whistle, Cazorla proves that he’s a better footballer than photographer when he grabs Tom Jenkins’ remote camera to take some selfies of himself and his team-mates.

Though his picture of the celebrating Arsenal fans is at least in focus.

Aaron Ramsey, left, shows Cazorla how it’s done when he has a go at a selfie.

Arsène Wenger is all smiles as the winners wait to go up the steps to the Royal Box

Finally the time arrives and the Arsenal fans try to get near their heroes as they climb the stairs to the Royal Box to collect the trophy.

Aston Villa fan Prince William congratulates Mertesacker. The German is performing the captain’s duties while Mikel Arteta is out injured.

Mertesacker and Arteta, who is doing a ‘John Terry’ by donning his kit during the trophy ceremony, hoist the FA Cup high amid the celebrating Arsenal players.

Now it’s Wenger’s turn to get his hands on the trophy.

Once the players are back on the pitch the celebrations can begin in earnest.