Arsenal 1 – 1 Manchester United – Match Report

We exited the FA Cup on penalties, after a dramatic afternoon at Emirates Stadium.

After a lacklustre, disjointed, opening 45 minutes, the sport burst into life early within the second-half. Bruno Fernandes fired the guests forward on the counter, however on the hour they have been lowered to 10 males when Diogo Dalot was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

We took benefit immediately, when Gabriel fired us degree with an improvised end. However Martin Odegaard then noticed his penalty saved, and additional missed possibilities – from Kai Havertz and Declan Rice amongst others – despatched the sport to extra-time.

We couldn’t make our numerical benefit depend within the additional half-hour although, and so the 2 groups with probably the most FA Cup wins in historical past needed to be separated by penalties within the third spherical. 

Havertz noticed his penalty saved by Altay Bayindir, and with each different spot kick scored, we have been knocked out on the first hurdle.

First-half of few possibilities

We began on the entrance foot, eager to bounce again from Tuesday evening’s Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle. For the fourth 12 months in a row at this stage of the FA Cup, we lined up in our all-white ‘No Extra Pink’ package, highlighting the struggle in opposition to knife crime in London.

We loved a lot of the possession within the opening half hour or so, albeit with out working Altay Bayindir within the United objective.

We did have the ball within the internet on 20 minutes, however belatedly the flag went up for offside in opposition to Gabriel Martinelli. Martin Odehaard began the transfer with a beautiful flick, Gabriel Jesus then slid the ball by to Martinelli, by way of a deflection from Harry Maguire. The flag stayed down as Martinelli tucked house, however after United protests, the assistant referee dominated out the objective. There isn’t any VAR at this stage of the competitors, although it seemed as if the officers arrived on the proper resolution on the pitch.

United’s first try was a low shot from 25 yards by Kobbie Mainoo that David Raya comfortably obtained all the way down to.

Odegaard discovered Martinelli with a tremendous go, however the Brazilian was compelled large, took a contact and his shot was charged down within the field.

Persistent stoppages

Jesus was stretchered off late within the first half. He collided with Bruno Fernandes on the sting of our personal field whereas he was monitoring again, and appeared to go down awkwardly. Raheem Sterling got here on to switch him.

It had been a stop-start half. There have been way more fouls than pictures within the opening 45 minutes – 12 conceded by the guests, leading to two yellow playing cards, and the sport struggled to have any circulate.

Our remaining try of the opening half was a free-kick from Odegaard, that the skipper despatched over the bar.

Sparking into life

Early within the second-half United broke the impasse. They seized upon a slip on the midway line by Gabriel and Garnacho pounced on the unfastened ball. He raced forwards earlier than teeing up the coming Fernandes, who gave Raya no likelihood with an emphatic end.

The 8,000 United followers within the Clock Finish discovered their voice, it was time for us to discover a response on the pitch.

Virtually instantly Mikel Merino had a shot blocked at shut quarters earlier than Kai Havertz sliced a shot large when properly positioned.

On the different finish United streamed away on the break, when Saliba gave the impression to be fouled on the midway line. Gabriel obtained again properly to intercept.

Then a few minutes that actually introduced the sport to life. Dalot dived in recklessly on Martinelli and was proven his second yellow card to scale back the guests to 10 males.

From the ensuing free-kick we carved out the possibility for Gabriel’s equaliser. The cross from the left was solely half-cleared, and there was our Brazilian defender to acrobatically rating, by way of a deflection. There 100 seconds between the United purple card and our leveller. Sport on.

Odegaard denied

With 20 minutes left we had the possibility to take the lead from the penalty spot. Havertz was fouled within the space by Harry Maguire, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick. After a bit if pushing and shoving among the many two units of gamers, order was restored, and Odegaard struck his shot low to the keeper’s left, however Bayindir obtained throughout properly to palm it away.

The Turkish keeper then made one other flying save to disclaim substitute Declan Rice. His header from Odegaard’s cross was tipped over after he’d eluded his markers.

The momentum was firmly with us after the equaliser, however there’s little question the penalty save checked our progress.

We stored creating possibilities although, and Havertz ought to have bulged the web when he managed a cross in entrance of the keeper, however he stabbed over from underneath the bar.

Rice had an opportunity to win it deep in injury-time, shifting the ball onto his left foot inside the realm, and driving low in the direction of the nook, however Bayindir once more denied him, pushing away for a nook.

Further-time

And so to the additional half hour. Rice had our first effort, arrange by Jorginho within the space, however his shot was blocked.

Havertz was subsequent to get in behind the defence. He crossed for Leandro Trossard arriving within the center, however Matthijs de Ligt hooked the hazard away from on the goalline.

The final motion of the first-half was a Rice header that simply didn’t drop for Havertz.

Raya got here to our rescue firstly of the second interval. Joshua Zirkzee had time to measure a shot from simply inside the realm, and disguised his try into the close to publish. Our keeper learn it excellently although, and obtained simply sufficient on it to tip it large.

Partey had a shot deflected over proper on the finish, however full-time signalled a penalty shootout.

Penalties

The spot kicks have been taken in entrance of the away followers, with United going first…

Bruno Fernandes – scored 1-0
Martin Odegaard – scored 1-1
Amad Diallo – scored 2-1
Kai Havertz – saved 2-1
Leny Yoro – scored 3-1
Declan Rice – scored 3-2
Lisandro Martinez – scored 4-2
Thomas Partey – scored 4-3
Joshua Zirkzee – scored 5-3

What’s subsequent

The third in a run of 5 consecutive house video games is that this Wednesday, in opposition to Tottenham within the Premier League. We then host Aston Villa subsequent weekend, additionally within the league, earlier than resuming our Champions League marketing campaign at house to Dinamo Zagreb.