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Manchester United Knock Out Arsenal in Dramatic FA Cup Penalty Shootout

In a thrilling encounter at the Emirates Stadium, 10-man Manchester United stunned Arsenal, advancing to the FA Cup fourth round after a dramatic penalty shootout. The match, which ended 1-1 after extra time, was defined by crucial saves from United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and a decisive penalty from substitute Joshua Zirkzee, sending the Red Devils through in their quest to defend the FA Cup title.

United’s resilient performance came despite the setback of Diogo Dalot’s red card in the 61st minute, reducing them to 10 players for nearly an hour. However, despite being a man down, the visitors held firm against an Arsenal side that failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage.

The drama began early in the second half when Bruno Fernandes scored a stunning first-time shot to give United a 1-0 lead. The goal sparked a furious response from Arsenal, who quickly found themselves level after Dalot was sent off for a second yellow card. From the resulting free kick, Gabriel’s deflected shot leveled the score just 60 seconds later, giving the hosts the momentum.

But United’s defense, led by Bayindir, refused to break. In a key moment, the Turkish goalkeeper made a crucial penalty save from Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard in the 73rd minute, denying the Gunners the opportunity to take the lead. Bayindir’s heroics didn’t end there; in the shootout, he saved a penalty from Kai Havertz to give United the advantage.

Arsenal had several chances to win during normal and extra time, with Declan Rice and Havertz both squandering opportunities. In the dying moments of extra time, United had their own moments of danger, with Matthijs de Ligt making a vital clearance to deny Leandro Trossard a tap-in, while Zirkzee forced a fine save from Arsenal keeper David Raya.

When the shootout arrived, United showed perfect composure. Fernandes, Amad Diallo, Leny Yoro, and Lisandro Martínez all converted their spot kicks, before Zirkzee stepped up and fired home the winning penalty in front of jubilant away supporters. Arsenal, on the other hand, could not recover after Havertz’s miss, as United triumphed 5-3 on penalties.

The win marked the 11th consecutive season United have reached the FA Cup fourth round, with a winnable home tie against Leicester City now awaiting them. United manager Ruben Amorim, despite some challenges, was pleased with his side’s resilience, particularly withstanding the pressure of playing with 10 men for such a long period.

To add to Arsenal’s woes, they were forced to play without Gabriel Jesus for much of the match after the Brazilian forward suffered a knee injury in the first half. The injury left the Gunners further depleted, and they will now face an anxious wait to learn the extent of his setback.

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