Man Utd vs Arsenal FA Cup: Altay Bayindir's Heroic Penalty Saves Secure Red Devils' Victory Despite Dalot Red Card

Man Utd fought off Arsenal in a thrilling FA Cup match, with goalkeeper Altay Bayindir becoming the hero with two crucial penalty saves. Despite Diogo Dalot's red card, Manchester United prevailed in a penalty shootout, securing a spot in the fourth round. Read the full player ratings and match recap.

Jan 13, 2025 - 21:48
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Man Utd vs Arsenal FA Cup: Altay Bayindir's Heroic Penalty Saves Secure Red Devils' Victory Despite Dalot Red Card

Eventually, it was Manchester United that reached the fourth round in most dramatic fashion as the pulsating win over Arsenal came in the penalty shootout. It was a match of grit and determination while redemption was something that saw the main men rising to occasions as and when the going got tough. One such name was the penalty-saving hero Altay Bayindir while Joshua Zirkzee managed to redeem himself at an important juncture.

This article goes deep into the performances of each individual of the game and underlines those moments which shaped United's resilient 1-1 draw against Arsenal and their eventual triumph. The match had a number of twists-from heroic saves by Bayindir to the red card shown to Diogo Dalot-a bit prematurely, the match was amongst the most eventful pieces of action this season.

Altay Bayindir: Hero of Heroes

Rating: 9/10

Little has let that reputation change with the excellent performance put up by Altay Bayindir between the sticks - the Turkey international came into this encounter under the sword given his blunder in the last outing against Tottenham; today, he silenced all in incredible fashion. But having made the worst possible start-to a horror start, an awful piece of footwork followed by a misplaced cross that led to the Arsenal equalizer-Bayındır became the hero of the game with two penalty saves: first to deny Martin Ødegaard during the game, then to stop Kai Havertz in the shootout. His reflexes were absolutely on as he dove across his goal and saved both.

Bayindir didn't stop there as, in extra time, he first kept out an headed effort by Declan Rice and another quite crucial one by the England international. He must have, therefore, been rated very important to have reached a full stretch that again denied Havertz by the time when it happened a shootout might just have appeared.

The Red Devils were handed a tough one early in the game, as a second yellow for a reckless challenge on Mikel Merino left United with 10 men for over half an hour as Diogo Dalot, who had been putting on a decent display, was shown a second yellow. To their credit, character and determination from defenders who dug deep to keep them in the game were top-notch. 

Here's how each of them performed:

Matthijs de Ligt: 8/10- Dominant throughout, the Dutch centre-back redeemed himself from a poor outing at Anfield with a solid and focused performance. Was impressive in tracking Martinelli all evening but crucially recovered on Rice in extra-time to bring balance back into his side's advantage.

Harry Maguire 8/10: The best on the pitch as far as responding to the attack of Arsenal is concerned. He was physical and dominant in the air with the way he flung his body in front of everything that Arsenal threw at him. The conceded penalty because of a slight brush with Havertz was one of the very few mistakes in what was otherwise an excellent display from the captain.

Lisandro Martínez 6/10: Quieter than usual, this Argentine defender was important for United's defensive effort on the night. His no-nonsense approach covered well the void left by Dalot's red card. Martinez also earned a yellow for a challenge on Gabriel Jesus, which didn't stop him from continuing his battle throughout the game.

Midfield Contributions: Containing Arsenal's Threat

United's midfield was working over-time to contain Arsenal's dynamic play, even a man down. They did manage to curtail Arsenal's clear-cut chances.

Noussair Mazraoui 7/10: The Moroccan full-back had a torrid task, especially after Dalot's sending off. Showed great awareness, nullifying the threat of Martinelli on the right-hand side before switching to left to cover for Dalot.

Manuel Ugarte - 6/10: Asked to disrupt the flow of Arsenal's passing. Was good in patches but his influence diminished towards the end.

Kobbie Mainoo 5/10 - Pretty quiet in the first half and did not make the most of whatever little attacking impetus United had in the game. Was guilty of some poor decision-making in the final third, as when he shot instead of passing better options.

Diogo Dalot - 4/10: Red card proved to be the turning point in the match. Though sound in defence in the early part of the game, his rash tackle on Merino saw him being sent off and left United with ten men for the rest of the game.

Counter-attacks and set pieces were what constituted United's attack in the first half.

A man down and yet forwards of Manchester United continued to push, causing some problems to the Arsenal back four. That breakthrough finally came through a well-conducted counter-attack.

Alejandro Garnacho (7/10): Garnacho played a crucial role in United's opening goal. Quick feet and decisive dribbling saw him rob Gabriel before racing forward to set up Bruno Fernandes for his goal. He was bright in attack, considering how little support there was.

Rasmus Højlund (5/10): Worked hard, pressed the defenders well, and had some good touches; he just doesn't seem to be able to make any type of impact in the final third of the pitch. Difficult to capitalise on anything that came his way, too often isolated for much of the match.

Bruno Fernandes, 8/10: Was among the best for United tonight, was brilliant with the opening goal, finishing clinically, and literally sweat his socks in ensuring the whole team was arranged throughout. His leadership came out with very important cool and ice composure, stepping forward in slotting home a confident penalty in the shootout.

Substitutions and Key Contributions

The substitutes also had their role to play with some being more important in the final parts of the game.

  • Amad Diallo 6/10: Really added much-needed energy to the match and looked bright in extra time-especially when United attacked. Slotted his penalty home with aplomb in the shoot-out-nerveless.
  • Toby Collyer 6/10: Came on very, very late but did a solid defensive shift in helping to see out the match and break up the rhythm of the Arsenal attack.
  • Joshua Zirkzee: 5/10- Poor during the game but redemption came in the penalty shootout with the decisive penalty that sent United into the fourth round.
  • Tyrell Malacia: 6/10- Showed his coolness with a well-timed tackle on Sterling late in the game while being strong at the back during the final moments of extra time.
  • Leny Yoro 6/10- Came on for extra time in place of Maguire. He did a great job in helping United's backline and looked confident from the spot in the shootout, too.

With the red card issue and a really bad first half, it was all tactics from Ruben Amorim as Manchester United won the game. He changed the game-not to allow Arsenal many chances to balance the match; he kept the team compact and tight. Changes during the match and the introduction of defensive-minded substitutes, further reactive adjustments-all these allowed United to hold out under intense pressure until the very end, eventually forcing victory through the penalty shootout.

Conclusion: United's Steely Resolve

It was about the fight and spirit, showing the mental toughness of Manchester United to stay in the game. Down to 10 men, they managed to hold Arsenal at bay and weather the storm. Heroics between the sticks by Altay Bayindir and the leadership from Bruno Fernandes were some of the important factors that helped United advance to the next round. Others who impressed were de Ligt, Maguire, and Zirkzee, as the Red Devils dug deep into their character in a very dicey situation.

United's eventual 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time and victory on penalties over Arsenal did, therefore, show fighting spirit and thus set the scene for an exciting FA Cup journey ahead.