10-man Man Utd beat Arsenal on penalties to spark FA Cup into life
FLASHPOINT: Tempers flare between Manchester United's Harry Maguire (right) and Arsenal's Kai Havertz (left) after Arsenal are awarded a penalty. Picture: Mike Egerton/PA Wire.
So much for the David vs. Goliath romantic fairytales of the FA Cup. Ultimately, it took the two titans of the world’s most famous domestic cup competition to bring this season’s series to life. What these teams lacked in quality, they more than made up for in passion in a thunderous cup tie for the ages that was finally settled by courage, mistakes and a penalty shoot-out.
Kai Havertz was the Arsenal villain as he missed a series of chances in normal time and looked shot by the time he had his shoot-out penalty saved. United keeper Altay Bayindir and the much-derided substitute striker Joshua Zirkzee, who netted the decisive spot kick, emerged as the unlikely match-winning heroes. Their reward is a home tie against Leicester City, managed by Old Trafford legend Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Reacting to the draw, United manager Ruben Amorim said: "I talked with him (Ruud) before I came. I'm looking forward to speaking with him. He's a class guy but we need to win. Maybe we'll be divided because he loves this club but we need to win."
Fun and games, then, for United and their huge contingent of travelling fans, but the result also marks the end of a miserable few days for Arsenal and their manager, Mikel Arteta. He will now come under even more pressure to sign a striker in what is remaining of the winter transfer window.
They missed almost as many chances in the midweek League Cup semi-final defeat at home to Newcastle and also lost striker Gabriel Jesus to what appears serious-looking injury in this match. Tottenham are here next on Wednesday in a match that has never been more of a must-win for the Spanish coach and his players. They have only themselves to blame for this January cup collapse.
United had to survive with ten men for an hour after Diogo Dalot was sent off including a save from their unlikely hero Bayindir, who stopped a dodgy second-half penalty from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. Bayindir, who is yet to make a Premier League appearance since arriving from Fenerbahce in 2023, has made three appearances in the Carabao Cup this term. He made an error that led to Gabriel cancelling out a Bruno Fernandes strike for United and then had the game of his life.
He said afterwards: “If you are not playing it doesn't matter. You have to be ready every minute, every second, if you are a Man Utd player you have to be ready always. [Ruben Amorim] is talking with us every day and he wants to help us. We love him and he's always trying to do his best. He has a very good relationship with the players and we are trusting him, he is trusting us. We are fighting together."
Arteta looked understandably frustrated and deflated afterwards but claimed: "In a thousand games like this, you lose one." Maybe so, but Arsenal are having a lot of matches in that ‘one thousandth’ category this season. He proceeded to defend his misfiring players, put a protective arm around Havertz and refused to react to Manchester United’s official club tweet that simply stated: ‘Justice.’ That barbed club outburst was relating to the penalty awarded against Harry Maguire following a clear dive by Havertz. No VAR in the third round of the FA Cup merely adding to the drama and debate.
Only Arsenal’s 14 final wins outdoes the 13 times defending holders United have lifted the old trophy since it was first staged in 1872 and they fought each other as if this was the match to settle their fabled FA Cup rivalry.
Reacting to the disconsolate figure of Havertz trudging off the pitch afterwards, Arteta added: “My message to him and to all of them is that we all love them, individually and as a team. What this team produces every three days is incredible, regardless of what happens. I’m not going to lose sight of that because of our results of the two (last games), because we didn’t deserve those results. What can we do better? Let’s try to do it, it's emotional and it's something related to confidence as well. But very difficult to ask something of that to our players.”
A jubilant Amorim added: "We were facing a great team and it was not just 90 minutes, it was more than that, and then you feel like the players are really tired. They put in new players, they controlled the ball all the time, it was a sacrifice for my players. But we deserved to pass through this round because we suffered all together and we showed character and that's a very important thing.”
After a drab opening 45 minutes we had a second half and period of extra-time that will live long in the memory United finally showed their quality to take a 51st minute lead. Alejandro Garnacho got the better of Gabriel just inside the half way line, ran at the area and squared to Fernandes. The United captain has scored some spectacular goals and this first time shot was up there with the best of them.
United then made it unnecessarily hard for themselves when Diogo Dalot rashly dived in on Mikel Merino and was shown his second yellow card. United needed to dig in now and ride out the inevitable Arsenal storm. They held out for only two minutes. Bayindir failed to punch clear when he could possibly have caught the ball, and Gabriel hooked in the bouncing loose ball from about ten yards out.
Odegaard then had an opportunity to put Arsenal in front from the penalty spot after Maguire was adjudged to have tripped Havertz. It looked harsh against the United defender who was booked for his part in the ensuing melee. Some players, such as Manuel Ugarte, were fortunate not to be sent off.
United won the toss to have the shoot-out staged in front of their supporters. Fernandes tucked away the first and Odegaard levelled by making up in some part for his earlier miss. Amad made it 2-1 and Havertz, almost inevitably, had his shot saved. Leny Yoro netted for 3-1 before Declan Rice, who had also missed a sitter in regular play, scored his kick for 3-2. Lisandro Martinez made it four out of four and Thomas Partey kept Arsenal alive, only to set up Zirkzee to take the glory.
Raya 6, Timber 6 (Partey 100), Saliba 6, Gabriel 6, Lewis-Skelly 6 (Trossard 90), Jorginho 6 (Tierney 113), Merino 6 (Rice 73), Odegaard 6, Jesus 6 (Sterling 40), Martinelli 6, Havertz 4. Subs: Neto, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Butler-Oyedeji
Bayindir 9, De Ligt 7, Maguire 7 (Yoro 104), Martinez 7, Mazroui 6, Mainoo 6 (Collyer 81), Ugarte 6 (Malacia 90), Dalot 5, Fernandes 7, Garnacho 6 (Amad 80), Hojlund 5 (Zirkzee 81). Subs: Onana, Eriksen, Casemiro, Antony.
Andrew Madley 5
60,109
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
