By Alex Al-Kazzaz
Arsenal has crashed out of the FA Cup. Manchester United got the best of them in the most frustrating and humiliating way. Arsenal has tried to plead a valuable case this season; can they win a trophy for the first time since 2020? So far, things are rough for them. For Manchester United, they're having another bad season, but unlike Arsenal, there were no expectations for them.
This loss puts Arsenal in a pickle. Manager Mikel Arteta is and will be dealing with a massive barrage of criticism for their elimination from the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester United. The Arsenal fan base is displeased and the media will not take kindly to such an underperformance. Forward Kai Havertz is on the receiving end of brutal criticism for a bad performance. Overall, this loss is on the entire team.
The game was not settled in 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra time wasn't enough. So it had to be settled via a penalty shootout. Manchester United prevailed winning 5-3 on penalties after the game in a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes of play. All Manchester United players converted their penalty kicks and it was Joshua Zirkzee who made the final shot, putting the Red Devils through to the fourth round of the FA Cup.
This result is certainly a tale of missed scoring opportunities for Arsenal. Not to mention that they couldn't beat a Manchester United team that was down one man for about 60 minutes after midfielder Diogo Dalot was sent off in the 61st minute. However, the officiating for this game seems questionable and many are insisting that there was some controversy, as well. Arsenal's awarding of a penalty late in regulation stirred controversy because of an alleged dive by Havertz and a brawl erupted between the players of both sides. In the end, it didn't matter because Martin Ødegaard failed to convert the penalty.
Harry Maguire had a fantastic game. The defender made eleven clearances and even had five blocks. As great as Maguire was, the man of the match was goalkeeper Altay Bayındır. Bayındır registered six saves and was responsible for denying Ødegaard in that controversial penalty during regulation as well as Havertz's shot in the shootout.
Manchester United Captain Bruno Fernandes scored his 86th goal for the club and surpassed David Beckham in the club's all-time scoring list. Manchester United's attack seemed loaded, but the lack of production in games this year has made it difficult for this well-talented team to be taken seriously. In other words, despite having a loaded lineup, Manchester United has not played their best, and critics aren't convinced that the team is strong.
Manchester United will play Leicester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The match will be on February 8th.
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