Arsene Wenger's future will be resolved this week

Match winner Aaron Ramsey hails the fans. Picture: Ian Walton/Getty Images

“I am very proud because you see what fight you have to win one [FA Cup],” Wenger said.

“I am proud if no one has done it before, to win the championship without losing a game and win seven FA Cups.”

On his future, Wenger added: “We have a board meeting on Tuesday, and on Wednesday or Thursday it will all be very clear.”

“I think we had an outstanding performance from the first minute onwards,” Wenger said after the 2-1 win over Chelsea which was Arsenal’s record 13th success in the competition.

“This team has suffered, but it has united and responded. I said last week that this team would win the championship with one or two buys and keep them together.

“They are in a good way, they showed strength and unity and we played spectacular football.”

Match-winner Aaron Ramsey called for Wenger to extend his 21-year stay in north London after Arsenal’s third FA Cup triumph in four years. “It’s been an up and down season but to finish it with an FA Cup has to be a successful season,” Ramsey said after repeating his final winner against Hull in 2014. “The boys deserve it and I’m happy for the manager to get another FA Cup.

“I hope he stays here, he’s been fantastic for me and fantastic for these players. He deserves this. Hopefully he’ll be here next season because we owe him a lot.”

Although Diego Costa equalised in the 76th minute for Chelsea, bringing down Willian’s lofted ball on his chest and striking past David Ospina, Arsenal was back in front inside three minutes.

“When they equalised it looked like things were against us, but we dug deep,” Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck said. “You always worry in football because you don’t know what will happen next.”

On an afternoon when so much bucked the story of the season, double player of the year N’Golo Kante failed to track Ramsey, who was left unmarked to meet Olivier Giroud’s dinked pass back.

“I love to make late runs into the box,” Ramsey said. “He put it on the plate for me to score the winner ... I just love this competition.”

Arsenal had been beset by injury and suspension problems in defence, with Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel all ruled out. But veteran German defender Per Mertesacker came in for his first start of the season as Chelsea failed to find the attacking fluency which swept them to the Premier League title.

“Two weeks ago I was already on holidays and didn’t expect to play,” Mertesacker said. “It was just next man up in the squad, but I didn’t feel any pressure. I just tried to be at my best and showed I could still do it.”