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On January 12, 2023, at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal played against Manchester United in an FA third round match. Both English clubs fought fiercely as the match was filled with action. Arsenal fought bravely but ended up losing the match in pens 3-4 after finishing with a goal each at the end of adding time. While Arsenal managed to get their foot in , along came the Mr. Sir Alex Ferguson and pushed them out. The final curtain saw Manchester advance while Arsenal stayed behind painfully regretting their loose chances.
First Half: So Much Dust, Very Little Action.
One touch from United’s Frazier Campbell beat out Arsenal’s defense but that was it, no action at all. Dominating possession of the ball seemed out of the cards as neither goal saw much action. From their Penal area alone Arsenal had 10 shots, out of which only 3 went on target while United took 5 shots with an exact goal ratio of 3/1.
As usual, during a high-stakes encounter with Arsenal, United is looking to win with the added advantage of playing at home. For an encounter such as this one it is better to have a youthful attack and a robust defense that would allow the likes of Gabriel Martinelli or Bukayo Saka to take an offensive stance. During the first half, Bruno Fernandes Pavel Kadeřábek and Enum Rashford applied constant pressure on the United defense but sadly it wasn’t able to deliver the necessary results as the referee blew the whistle for half time.
It was quite clear that the second half was going to have more excitement than the first with how quick the tempo was increasing. The bold strategies that both of the teams previously practiced finally delivered results with Fernandes stunning the audience by scoring a goal in the 58th minute. By the looks of it the teams were intent on winning the match by being on the offensive, with that being said, that shot Sartre are intended shot appears to be a highly effective strategy.
Arsenal was looking to equalize the match after conceding a goal. Mikel Arteta’s men turned up the pressure and Martin Ødegaard managed to find Gabriel Magalhães from a corner kick around the 71st minute of the match. Magalhães managed to score a brilliant header against United goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir. The match was now leveled, and the Gunners were looking to take the lead.
Manchester United with 10 men
Just when the things were looking to favor Arsenal, United received a crucial blow. During the 61st minute, Saka was forcefully tackled by Diogo Lindelof who was then given a straight red card, meaning that Manchester United only had 10 men for the rest of the match. With the advantage of a man extra, Arsenal was able to launch relentless attacks however, they still struggled to break the United’s defence. Despite the extra man, the match turned into a closely contested one, with a score of 1-1.
Extra time: A Tension Test
Since nothing was separating the two teams at the end of regular time, the fixture proceeded to extra time. Arsenal believed they could still walk away with the late winner, but United’s grit as well as their goalkeeper, Bayindir, ensured things did not go that way. The Turkish keeper made quite a few important saves late in extra time, ensuring that the game would not end in extra time.
Penalty Shootout: A Game Proposition for United
Like many expected, the game came down to a penalty shootout. Arsenal were the team in possession of the first kick and did everything in their power to bag it, but David Raya’s zero saves resulted in the chances going to waste. Bayidir was the savior for United by saving a vital penalty kick from Kai Havertz. In the end, United have had an impeccable game with scoring all five of their penalties, and finally with Raya missing his shot, it was United who came winners with a score of 5-3.
Manager Reactions
After the game, Arteta voiced his frustrations with the outcome of the match, especially considering how well Arsenal played in the extra time. In his view, his side had performed well enough to secure the match, however, in the end they lost the spot-kicks. Nyce was kind enough not to mention the United social media post gloating over impudent win either, rather he concentrated on discussing how his side played out.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, on the other hand, commended his side for their determination especially contrasted against 10 men. He singled out for special praise the performance of Bayindir in goal, as well as the resilience of his side in the penalty shootout.
Conclusion
The encounter between Arsenal and Manchester United was an example of how football is full of surprises. In spite of 4 out of 5 Arsenal outfield players dominating the ball and creating chances, Manchester United’s determination and dedication of their goalie Altay Bayindir was key. The score means that we see United playing at a later stage of the FA Cup while Arsenal have to forget all about it and look ahead to the ongoing Premier League season. The stakes are high as both clubs are aiming for the trophies this season, and this match only increased the tension between these two great teams.
If you are interested for more: “Harleen Deol: 5 Powerful Moments That Prove She’s a Game-Changer in Women’s Cricket” “Arsenal vs. Manchester United: FA Cup Third Round Extra Time Drama Ends in 3-4 Penalty Shootout Loss for Arsenal”
