The gunners had a tough match ahead, and if they wanted to continue to hold their FA Cup tittle they had to get through the Red Devils at Old Trafford. Louis Van Gaal had only the FA Cup as hope to get any silverware this season, as they are ten points behind Chelsea in the Premier League.
First half was dominated in possession by Manchester United, but Arsenal held strong and countered effectively. Minute 25′ Nacho Monreal scored for the Gunners after an individual play by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who took three defenders with him and found Nacho Monreal inside the box on the left side. Nacho held onside patiently and controlled with his left foot as David De Gea came out. He looked up and beat him to his first post with the inside of his left foot for a nice finish.
The Gunners only celebrated for four minutes, Wayne Rooney tied up the game after scoring off a header from a phenomenal cross by Angel Di Maria.
First half ended as a draw and clearly both teams were going to come out second half a bit more offensive to look for their second goal.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Arsenal found the back of the net after a mistake by Antonio Valencia. Antonio Valencia tried to play a ball back to De Gea, but came up short. Danny Welbeck, former Manchester United player took advantage of the mistake and poke the ball away from De Gea as he was coming out and put the ball away.
Manchester United kept looking for the second goal, but things went down the drain for the Red Devils when their “angel”, Angel Di Maria, got a double yellow for pulling the referee’s shirt. Angel Di Maria got his first yellow after he dove and was looking for a foul outside the eighteen. The referee did not buy it and gave Di Maria a yellow, right then and there Di Maria angrily pulled the referee’s shirt and was booked a second time and left Manchester United with ten men at minute 77′.
Manchester United with no form of creativity in the offensive side were close to score their second goal. Van Gaal did not bother sending Radamel Falcao into the pitch, as he is struggling to find the back of the net.
With this victory Arsenal advance one step closer to Wembley. Manchester United now has to end up in the top four places, if they want Van Gaal to have a job.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Michael Regan
