Arsenal, Danny Welbeck stun Man United at Old Trafford in FA Cup


Danny Welbeck punished his former club with the decisive goal in Monday's FA Cup clash.

MANCHESTER, England -- Goals from Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck were enough to stun Man United 2-1 in their FA Cup sixth round clash. Here are three quick observations from Old Trafford.

1. Welbeck returns to haunt Man United

Manchester United are used to their homegrown talents delivering valuable winners. It has happened time and again in the days of Bobby Charlton and George Best, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham to name but four. This was something altogether different. This was a goal to make them regret, not rejoice. This was a case of Louis van Gaal being punished in spring for his summer mistakes.
It is a source of pride at Manchester United that they have named a product of the club's youth system in the matchday squad for every game since 1937. One duly started in this occasion, only he was in the Arsenal ranks. Danny Welbeck, a Longsight lad, Mancunian and United supporter, led the line for Arsenal on his first return to Old Trafford. He marked the occasion by scoring the goal that knocked United out of the FA Cup.


That ending may have come as a surprise to Van Gaal. The United manager cited Welbeck's poor scoring record (just 29 in 142 games for his first club) when selling him. The Englishman may not have been prolific for Arsenal so far, but his eighth goal is twice as many as the unused Radamel Falcao has mustered for 
United this year. What's more, he took it with assurance.

Though Welbeck has had a slow start to life at Arsenal, he has more goals this season than his replacement, Falcao.

In the process, Welbeck vindicated Wenger. His choice of Welbeck, scorer of one goal in his previous 12 games, ahead of Olivier Giroud (who had mustered five in five) may have seemed typically perverse. The rationale was probably that employed by Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes in past seasons when they looked for a selfless runner in a major match.

That willingness and elusiveness would bring Arsenal the winner. Perhaps it ought to have given them a penalty, too. Marcos Rojo resorted to tugging Welbeck's shoulder as he raced on to Mesut Ozil's pass in the first half. Referee Michael Oliver ignored Arsenal's appeals but he did caution Ashley Young when he also opted for an illegal approach to halt Welbeck. Then came the moment to remember, the time when Welbeck's determination to chase anything and everything brought a reward. The goal.
Phil Jones chested the ball to Antonio Valencia. The makeshift right-back had looked a potential weak link all night. He under-hit his back-pass. Welbeck accelerated on to it, rounded David de Gea and showed the composure to slot the ball into the net.

Once again, Old Trafford echoed to the sound of Welbeck's name only this time, it was the gloating Gunners' visiting support. Hindsight was not required to suggest his sale may have been a blunder. Now it definitely appears to have been an error by Van Gaal.

2. Arsenal prove their mettle

Many snigger when Wenger suggests Arsenal have mental strength. There may be fewer doubters now. Arsenal's first win at Old Trafford since 2006 was an emphatic, exciting affair.
Timid on so many trips north, Arsenal finally put their inferiority complex aside. They have now won on both sides of Manchester in 2015. They have recorded 18 victories in 23 games, a run that has been rather obscured by their calamitous performance against Monaco. They are on course for their annual top-four finish and, perhaps, to retain the FA Cup.

Now, the holders will take some stopping. They beat Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton en route to Wembley last season. This time around, they got the toughest draw in the last eight this year and prevailed. In contrast, United's FA Cup run consisted of beating Yeovil, Cambridge and Preston. Reaching the quarter-finals scarcely constituted an achievement. Going out to Arsenal certainly represented a low. Van Gaal will end his first season at Old Trafford without silverware whereas, as he likes to say, he won trophies in his debut 
campaigns with Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.


Angel Di Maria's exit, picking up two yellow cards in three minutes late on, kept his miserable run of form going.

His side actually began with unusual pace but paid a price for defending dreadfully for both goals. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ran into a crowd of United players and contrived to commit all five of them, luring Valencia infield to allow the overlapping Nacho Monreal space in the penalty box. Spaniard beat Spaniard, the left-back defeating De Gea at his near post.

Arsenal's lead only lasted four minutes as Wayne Rooney was left unmarked to equalise by Arsenal's centre-backs, who were separated by an alarmingly wide gap. If Laurent Koscielny (who headed thin air) looked worse, Per Mertesacker was probably the more culpable. He could see Rooney, but did not close him down.
Yet Van Gaal's dissatisfaction was apparent when he removed both Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera at half-time. It did not bring about an improvement; if anything, Arsenal assumed the ascendant and after Welbeck scored, United grew increasingly frantic. Angel Di Maria was sent off, Adnan Januzaj dived in his attempt to win a penalty and United adopted the now-familiar tactic of aiming long balls at Marouane Fellaini.

3. Di Maria's night ends in disaster

It was what United imagined when they agreed to break the British transfer record for Angel Di Maria. The supplier supreme, the provider of 22 assists last season, delivered a delightful cross; one of United's superstar scorers converted it. When Rooney dived to head in the equaliser, "big buy" and "big name" combined profitably.

It all appeared so promising. The slump of recent weeks looked consigned to the past. Last season's Champions League final's man of the match appeared reinvigorated by the atmosphere of a high-pressure game. That was before his night ended in dismissal and disaster. Perhaps even, some might say, disgrace.
Di Maria's determination to do anything to get his side a goal normally entails some overambitious passes, crosses and shots. On this occasion, it involved diving and, while there was contact with Aaron Ramsey, the Argentina flung himself to the ground. Referee Michael Oliver cautioned him for simulation and then, when Di Maria tugged the official's shirt, sent him off.

It means Di Maria is now banned for Sunday's showdown with Tottenham. Having been bought to help get United back into the Champions League, his actions could go on to cost them their top-four spot. That is a game he will not start; he sadly doesn't finish many, either.
Di Maria got the hook at half-time against Sunderland. The 59.7 million-pound man only lasted 59 minutes at Newcastle. Arsenal faced him for 76 minutes. And in that time, he looked the player of old. It was not just the assist, either; Wojciech Szczesny spilled a teasing cross. Deployed on the right as an inverted winger, Di Maria cut infield cleverly. As importantly, he used his pace to run in behind the Arsenal defence. It almost brought a goal when he latched on to Valencia's long ball. Szczesny saved the shot. He is a thrillingly direct runner and such players tend to be favourites at Old Trafford.

Indeed, he was celebrated, but in strange supporters. Di Maria was applauded off by the fans in the inexplicable way supporters sometimes exonerate a player who has let his side down.

Richard Jolly is a football writer for ESPN, The Guardian, The National, The Observer, the Straits Times and the Sunday Express.
Source: espnfc.com