Ten-man Manchester United overcame Arsenal in a dramatic penalty shoot-out, battling for an action-packed 1-1 draw in the FA Cup third round at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
After a quiet first half, the game burst into life following the interval, with Bruno Fernandes firing home a superb opening goal to give his side a priceless lead.
Diogo Dalot was then sent off for a second booking before the hosts equalised shortly after through Gabriel.
The visitors survived an Arsenal onslaught, taking the game to extra time and overcoming more pressure from the Gunners.
Ruben Amorim’s men prevailed in a captivating penalty shoot-out, booking a date with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City in the fourth round.
With a hell of a lot to unpack, here are five talking points from a cup cracker.
Altay Bayindir repays faith with match-winning contribution
Amorim selected backup goalkeeper Altay Bayindir for the North London encounter, and the Turkish international repaid his manager’s faith in spades.
Despite a poor performance in the Carabao Cup defeat to Spurs, the 26-year-old was magnificent on his return to the capital.
Having started shakily with some sloppy kicking, Bayindir was much better in the second half – crucially saving a penalty from Martin Odegaard in regulation time before stepping up once more in the shoot-out to deny Kai Havertz.
With rumours of a move away from the club in the summer, this player-of-the-match display might well alter things for United’s number two.
Manchester United dealt with set-pieces far better this time
The 20-time English champions fell to a 2-0 defeat against Mikel Arteta’s team in the Premier League, twice undone by effective corner routines.
Amorim urged his players to improve at set-pieces, with the Portuguese tactician insisting his side needed to enhance their structure when defending a dead ball.
Despite facing twelve corners and 25 free-kicks in the latest instalment, United coped far better and looked assured when facing the much-discussed tactic.
For many, this supplies further evidence that the work on the training ground is paying off.
Dalot’s dismissal doesn’t prove costly
Diogo Dalot received his marching orders after 61 minutes through two yellow cards. The second booking was for a careless tackle by the Portuguese that could have cost his team.
Down to ten, it was always going to be a daunting task for the visitors. But credit to them for hanging in there and emerging victorious in the defender’s absence.
Unfortunately, the ex-Porto defender will be suspended for Thursday night’s Premier League clash with Southampton at Old Trafford, opening the door for Tyrell Malacia.
Alejandro Garnacho does well on his return to the starting XI
There have been several reports that clubs have contacted United over the potential availability of Alejandro Garnacho this January, with Napoli strongly linked to the player.
Amorim has stated that the Argentina winger has a future at Old Trafford, and it was something of a vote of confidence for the youngster that he was handed a starting birth at the Emirates.
The 20-year-old played well and looked a threat on the right-side of United’s attack, setting up Fernandes for the breakthrough goal after a nice run and pass.
The Madrid-born forward has eight goals and five assists across all competitions this season and is on track for his most productive campaign yet.
Garnacho is a good asset to have, and, if developed properly, can only keep getting better. Hopefully, he will not be sold any time soon.
Ruben Amorim’s relentless reds
It was a resilient, dogged display from Amorim’s team in the face of adversity, and they never stopped running or working for one another.
United went into the game as underdogs, losing at this venue a little over a month ago. But they played better this time around and posed more of a threat.
Despite being reduced to ten men, the Manchester side kept fighting and showed more of the same battling qualities that secured a deserved draw against Liverpool at Anfield the previous week.
The likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martínez and Manuel Ugarte fought like warriors all afternoon and put their bodies on the line for their club.
This sort of spirit and commitment is becoming a welcome feature of the Amorim era so far, and long may it continue.
How did you rate Manchester United in Sunday’s Cup win at Old rivals Arsenal?
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