The match between Arsenal and Manchester United kept fans on their toes, serving as the highlight of the FA Cup third-round ties held at Emirates Stadium, London. The initial strike was made by Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, only to be equalized later by Gabriel of Arsenal. Anticipation soared as Gabriel Martinelli almost tipped the scales in favor of Arsenal, but was held back by the linesman’s decision. Unfortunately, the match had to progress without the benefit of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Gabriel Jesus of Manchester United had an unfortunate exit from the field during the first half due to a suspected knee injury. The gap left by his departure was filled in by Raheem Sterling. As the match progressed, Manchester United was put at a major disadvantage when Diogo Dalot received his second yellow card, leading to his dismissal just before Gabriel’s equalizing goal.
Arsenal’s fortunes seemed to change when Bayindir, the goalie, deflected a potentially dangerous chance taken by their opponents. A laudable save from the goalie helped Arsenal keep their heads above water, with the score remaining 1-1.
An exciting opportunity came Rice’s way, but was thwarted by another excellent save from Bayindir. Taking his chances from the left side of the penalty area, Rice’s left-footed shot was stopped in its tracks by Bayindir’s timely intervention. The shot, aimed for the bottom corner, instead found Bayindir’s foot, denying Arsenal the lead.
Late into the game, Arsenal still hadn’t tested Manchester United during the stoppage time. With three of the seven minutes of stoppage time gone, the fans eagerly awaited a decisive strike. With seven more minutes of normal just time to go, the burning question remained: could either team tip the balance and avoid the impending extra time?
Consistent in his underperformance, Kai Havertz once again disappointed Arsenal fans with a terrible miss. The player, who was trusted by the Arsenal to contribute a sizable share of their goals, again failed to deliver. The score remained stuck at 1-1.
In a thrilling turn of events, Manchester United initiated a swift counter-attack, bringing the audience to the edge of their seats. Joshua Zirkzee masterfully fooled Saliba with his manoeuvres, passing the ball to Amad on the right wing. The audience held its breath as Manchester United seemed on the brink of scoring.
Reminding the fans of past practice, the match would’ve gone towards a replay in the event of a draw after the 90-minute regulation. However, the rules have changed now, eliminating replays and introducing a 30-minute extra time period in case of a tie at the end of the match. The possibility of deciding the match with a penalty shootout is still far down the line.
After a brief pause in the action, the game resumed. Given their one-man advantage, Arsenal planned an onslaught of attacks against a pressed Manchester United.
Bayindir was at it again, making another spectacular save, this time from a shot by Declan Rice. Despite Rice being completely unmarked and in a prime scoring position in the box, the credit of stopping the shot rested primarily with Bayindir. The Arsenal goalie once again managed to make an incredible save, adding mounting pressure on Manchester United.
Much to the surprise of the audience, an undeservingly given penalty had Bayindir once again flying across to save Arsenal. Martin Odegaard’s shot, aiming for the bottom corner, was excellently blocked by Bayindir, providing a significant twist in the tale.
United then faced even more challenges when a poor decision by Bayindir led to more damage. The keeper, who’d been struggling throughout the match, mistakenly helped Arsenal when he punched the ball just a few yards away during a set-piece.
This error in judgement by Bayindir provided Gabriel with a prime opportunity to score. Gabriel promptly took advantage of the situation, sending a left-footed volley towards the bottom corner. Taking an unintentional deflection, the ball deceived Bayindir and managed to find its way into the back of the net, leaving the score at 1-1.
Following Dalot’s dismissal, Arsenal seized the opportunity to strike back, making an immediate move after being a man up. Dalot, already on a yellow, recklessly went into a tackle, giving away foul against Merino. In another thrilling chapter of the match, Fernandes added to United’s brilliant counter-attacks at Emirates, firing a superb goal, reminiscent of past performances by greats like Ronaldo in ’09 and Rooney in ’10.