Arsenal U18s 2-2 Manchester City U18s (Agg 3-4): Brahim Diaz and Rodney Kongolo on target as City reach FA Youth Cup final

The concentration of so much youthful energy and raw speed usually ensures matches such as this are a guaranteed spectacle. But there's usually one player just that nanosecond ahead of the others in both thought and deed.

On this occasion, it was Manchester City's Manuel Garcia Alonso - though please call him Manu - whose quickness of thought carried his side into another FA Youth Cup final at the expense of Arsenal.

It was 1-1 on the night and 3-2 to City on aggregate when the Spaniard won a free-kick some 40 yards from goal. As Arsenal reset, Garcia had the presence of mind to take it quickly, lofting a sublime chipped pass into the orbit of Rodney Kongolo on the edge of the box.

Manchester City U18s midfielder Brahim Diaz celebrates after scoring against Arsenal U18s on Monday night

City playmaker Manuel Garcia Alonso holds off pressure from Arsenal's Marc Bola at the Emirates Stadium

Gunners striker Kaylen Hinds sees his shot closed down by City's Tosin Adarabioyo during Monday's clash

As the ball came over, the Dutchman reacted that little bit quicker than the Arsenal back line. A deft touch through the legs of goalkeeper Hugo Keto and City were into their eighth Youth Cup final, where either Chelsea or Blackburn Rovers await them.

The Gunners, who led through Chris Willock early on were pegged back courtesy of Brahim Diaz and Kongolo, only to get a second wind and make it 2-2 through substitute Donyell Malen in the second-half.

They battled well and it took the late sending off of Marc Bola to finally kill off their challenge, but City were deserving over the two legs and will now hope to make amends for last season's final loss to Chelsea.

Among the interested spectators at the Emirates was Jack Wilshere, making his first public appearance since Monday newspapers reported his alleged involvement in an early hours street brawl outside a West End nightspot.

Also watching on from the stands were Arsene Wenger, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Thierry Henry, who is involved with coaching the players at this age level. All would have been impressed by Arsenal's livewire start.

Iconic locomotive 'The Flying Scotsman' roared past this stadium on its run back to York a few weeks back and the Gunners certainly began like the proverbial express train.

Trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Manchester, it took a mere six minutes to negate the aggregate arrears.

When City's Manu Garcia tried to be too clever with a chipped pass in midfield, Willock seized on the loose ball. One touch saw him glide past Jacob Davenport, another nudge took him beyond the retreating Tosin Adarabioyo.

Suddenly, there was a glimpse of the bottom corner and Willock merely placed the ball into it with goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw unsighted. Picked out by the television cameras, Henry looked suitably impressed.

Arsenal were dominant, their creative players Willock, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Kaylen Hinds forcing City onto the retreat. Hinds saw a shot on the angle pushed round the post by Grimshaw but the second goal wasn't forthcoming.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere (centre) watches the club's Under 18s side in action on Monday night  

Thierry Henry (far left), the Gunners' all-time leading goalscorer, lends his support to the academy players

Arsenal winger Chris Willock vies for possession alongside City's Rodney Kongolo in the 2-2 draw 

Diaz breaks clear with the ball ahead of Willock as City progress to the FA Youth Cup final on Monday night

There is a reason, however, why City have one of the country's most feared academy sides and, with a second consecutive Youth Cup final in sight, they equalised with their first real chance.

Worked neatly left to right, the ball came to Aaron Nemane and his delivery couldn't have been more on a plate for Lukas Nmecha. Somehow, Hugo Keto blocked his point-blank shot but Brahim was on hand to head the rebound in despite the Arsenal keeper's best efforts to palm it to safety.

The restoration of City's overall lead calmed their nerves and Kongolo's goal following Garcia's quick thinking on the half-hour saw them with one foot in the final.

Perhaps Garcia's exposure to first-team football in the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup earlier this season gave him that sharpness of mind.

Arsenal needed something special in order to get back into contention and Stephy Mavididi was incensed when referee Darren Deadman didn't award a penalty when Adarabioyo bundled him over. Replays showed the contact was outside the box.

Gunners defender Bola is shown a red card for a second-half foul on Kongolo in Monday's 2-2 draw 

Arsenal full back Chiori Johnson wins possession ahead of City's Aaron Nemane at the Emirates Stadium

City went in for the kill. Kongolo's 20-yard hit was tipped over by Keto, then Nmecha's powerful strike beat the keeper but not Hinds covering on the goalline.

But a double substitution on the hour mark provided Arsenal with fresh impetus and one of those introduced, Malen, made an instant impact.

The Dutchman wasn't at all tracked by the City defence as he peeled off at the back post to meet a Reiss Nelson corner with a thumping header and offer the home side renewed hope.

But that was extinguished 15 minutes from time when Bola mistimed his challenge on Kongolo, the contact on the City player's left shin producing an audible crackle, though thankfully he was fine.

Referee Deadman had no other thought, brandishing the red and when Grimshaw pushed away a Ben Sheaf free-kick in stoppage time Arsenal were out.