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      How Tottenham can kill off Arsenal’s title hopes with Ange Postecoglou’s ‘wheels of chaos’ tactic

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      ARSENAL face a make-or-break North London derby as they look to shrug off back-to-back cup defeats.Mikel Arteta’s side drew against Brighton before falling to a Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Newcastle.Ange Postecoglou’s wheels of chaos could kill off Arsenal title hopesCredit: GettyBut Mikel Arteta will need to be brave if he is to earn a huge win against SpursCredit: GettyThey then exited the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out loss to Manchester United.Yet all is not lost, because the Gunners have the chance to regroup and refocus their attention on the Premier League title battle, currently six points behind Liverpool.However, their next match could be a season-defining game for them as they host bitter rivals Tottenham on Wednesday.Ange Postecoglou’s side have been in sticky form of late, beating Liverpool in the Carabao Cup before needing extra time to triumph over National League side Tamworth.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSunSport’s Will Pugh and tactical guru Dean Scoggins have highlighted five areas how Spurs could KO Arsenal’s title bid this season.Organised chaosThere is a perception about Tottenham that they play a very wild style of football, and while this is true to a degree there is more than meets the eye within Postecoglou’s system.The Aussie manager’s uniquely rigid attacking structure incorporates a left-hand set and a right-hand set of players.And in the last few weeks, that system has – believe it or not – been adapting amid a flurry of errors from young and inexperienced players parachuted into the team due to an injury crisis.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe current treatment room list means the likely centre-back pairing for this game will force Radu Dragusin to be paired alongside Archie Gray, with brand new goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in goal.Spurs will look to nullify their mistakes by playing out from the back even more than has been seen previously, with Yves Bissouma dropping into the space between them as they split to receive the ball.Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou channels his inner Gladiator as he defends his gung-ho tacticsTottenham have been ravaged by injury that has seen Postecoglou tweak his tacticsTypically Spurs build up with just one pivot player, but this has changed to two in recent weeksSpurs normally deploy two wheels of chaos on either side of the pitchIn attack, Tottenham look to operate as a pair of wheels on either side of the pitch but without much crossover to the other flanks.In this system, only the centre-backs, holding midfielder and striker are asked to stick to their main position, often allowing them to dominate possession due to overloads.Unfortunately, this system can make Spurs susceptible to teams setting up against them, as Arsenal did at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this season.Underlap, overlap, wandering freeTottenham are a team who often do not look to generate chances through crossing from out wide, but do tend to score a lot with cutbacks.This is often due to Spurs relying heavily on underlaps with the wingers hugging the touchline while the fullbacks – likely to be Pedro Porro and Djed Spence against Arsenal – invert centrally.Spence, a right-footed full-back, has been particularly impressive deputising for Destiny Udogie at left-back in the last few weeks.In a perfectly executed gameplan, this pair of wheels allow for the full-backs to move forward into a dangerous area before being able to find a cutback for a more central team-mate.The three-player units on either side of the field allow for underlapping full-backs to be as deadly as a wingerA quick passage of passing can unleash an underlapping defender into a dangerous areaOne of the main sources of Postecoglou’s frustration this season has often come with Spurs giving the ball away and the wheels literally falling off.But to that end the former Celtic boss has tweaked his tactics. The first change to the system has been to concede some ground and move the team deeper to accommodate for Gray and Dragusin not being as quick as Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.The full-backs are also not going forward as quickly, with Porro in particular showing much more discipline in the last few weeks.The third change has been to use to two pivots to collect the ball and build up instead of one, with Bissouma and one other dropping in to help the ball progress.Sterling effortIt does not take a genius to figure out Bukayo Saka’s absence from the Arsenal team has hit them hard.The Hale End graduate has been a talismanic figure for the Gunners since breaking into the team, and was their spearhead across their last two title challenging campaigns.While most teams may tend to split attacks more evenly across the field, Arsenal often played much more down the right, mainly due to Saka’s excellence and his strong link with Martin Odegaard.Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus had both played in the role before getting injured themselves, which almost certainly means Raheem Sterling is going to be asked to play there against Spurs.The former Liverpool and Manchester City star will be key for Arsenal if they are to get anything from the game.Raheem Sterling will be asked to deputise for Bukayo Saka with Ethan Nwaneri and Gabriel Jesus both injuredSterling will need to emulate the way Saka receives the ball on the touchlineThe winger can step inside with the ball and drag the defenderThis could allow for an overload with a bombing full-back or a pass to Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz or Gabriel MartinelliWhat Arteta will ask the ex-England international to do is pick up the ball on the run, rather than with his back to goal, allowing him to then make a diagonal run into an interior position.Movement like this will allow Sterling to crossover with Kai Havertz in a nightmare rotation for the Spurs defence, offer a lay off to Odegaard, or try and find Gabriel Martinelli as he bombs up the left flank.The presence of Spence up against Sterling will create a unique opportunity for Arsenal to exploit, with Jurrien Timber potentially being allowed to go up the space left on the outside.Sterling, 30, has flattered to deceive since arriving at the Emirates on loan.He had an indifferent game against Man Utd on Sunday, but could have a watershed match against Spurs as he is finally given the chance to prove he can help the misfiring Gunners hit their mark.Art stoppersThere is a perception around Arsenal that they have failed to hit the same heights as they did last season, having struggled to score in open play in many games this campaign.Despite going out of the FA Cup, Arsenal still have the chance to make a Carabao Cup final if they can muster a heroic performance against Newcastle at St James’ Park.They can also close the gap on the top of the league if some results go in their favour, which would serve to turn the current negative narrative of the club around.Arteta has built the bedrock of his team on being defensively sound, and are actually set up in such a way that they have an extra player screening to prevent counter-attacks.Arsenal are build on a rock solid defensive foundationDeclan Rice and Mikel Merino are screening midfielders ideal for stopping counter-attacksBut Arsenal can often look too rigid as a result of this safety first approachAnd unless Arteta unlocks one of them to run beyond the midfield his team could lack a creative sparkDeclan Rice and one of Mikel Merino or Thomas Partey are often the players charged with this duty, but the key to unlocking Spurs may need to come from Arteta taking the shackles off of his team.While Arsenal have a dangerous attack on paper, the lack of movement from midfield – while often proving defensively sound – hurts their chances of open play goals due to there not being enough movement to give opposition defenders cause for concern.Consequently, this has led to their attack becoming stodgy due to it being too rigid.However, to break down Spurs, Arsenal may need to unlock one of these screening players to make runs beyond the defence and give the defence food for thought.King Dom’s comeToothless Tottenham needed to bring on talisman Dominic Solanke to beat Tamworth in the FA Cup.There was a lot of debate over whether he would be a better signing for them than Ivan Toney, but 11 goals and six assists already this season have proven Solanke to be the right deal.But there are still many aspects of his game which do not get the credit they deserve, such as his effort, ability to track, pressing and overall world class team ethic.Solanke is often overlooked for a lot of the off-ball work he makes to open space up for team-mates.These exploits can include his runs forcing a defender to commit to marking him or pinning defenders.Against Arsenal he is likely to target William Saliba rather than Gabriel Magalhaes in the air.Spurs will look to use the England international as a key pivot player up front, using him to play off the two wheels on either side of their attack.Solanke is often able to unlock defences when he has runners such as Brennan Johnson going beyond the defensive line in behind, with this ability being integral to a number of goals through pre-assists.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe 27-year-old will be key for Spurs’ front-footed defence against Arsenal, while his team-mates know if they can use him to his best he will help them create a dangerous chance even if he is not the one to finish it off.And it is thanks to the likes of Solanke, that the last game Arsenal would want at the moment is Tottenham. 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      Eagle-eyed Man Utd fans spot Amorim’s tactical masterclass after chat with Bruno Fernandes as star gets new position

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      EAGLE-EYED Manchester United fans spotted an amazing tactical switch made by Ruben Amorim involving Bruno Fernandes in the dying minutes of their FA Cup third round clash with Arsenal.United went into extra-time with ten man at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s red card in the 61st minute and were desperately holding on to ensure the game went to penalties.Eagle-eyed Manchester United fans have spotted an amazing tactical switch Ruben Amorim made involving Bruno FernandesCredit: RexIn the final moments of extra-time Fernandes moved to playing as a centre-backCredit: GettyLisandro Martinez moved up front after reportedly beginning to cramp up during the second half of extra-timeCredit: GettyFernandes was seen in conversation with Amorim about the changeCredit: @_StrettyEnd/TwitterFernandes then directed his team-mates to change positionsCredit: @_StrettyEnd/TwitterHowever, deep into injury time and having played almost an hour of football a player down, Amorim gave the green light for a desperate tactical switch.Fernandes, who had scored the Red Devils opener, was seen running over to his manager to discuss something.As Fernandes then ran back into the middle of the pitch, Amorim could then be seen waving his finger in both directions before the subject of the chat became clear.Fernandes, 30, was seen filling in at left centre-back role for the final minutes of the game, with Lisandro Martinez bizarrely moving up front as part of a shuffling of the pack.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe Argentine defender was reportedly beginning to cramp up due to the astonishing workload.But the change saw Martinez move up front and seemingly stick close to Gunners star Martin Odegaard to lessen his burden for the final few minutes before the shootout.The bold move paid dividends as the 26-year-old went on to score, while Fernandes himself also scored the first of United’s five successful spot-kicks in the shootout.Reacting to the change on social media, one fan said: “Ruben Amorim tactical mastermind! He reorganises the team deep into extra time! Martinez up front.”Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSA second said: “Martinez playing up front for the last five mins was the funniest thing ever.”A third added: “Martinez playing higher up due to injury.”Arsenal and Man Utd stars in furious brawl as Harry Maguire goes for Kai Havertz as players hit the deck in mad scrambleAnother said: “[Fernandes] Spoke with Amorim then ran back and shuffled the team and made Martinez go up top where he doesn’t have to run a lot.”This happened around last few mins of the game, after running his heart out for 120 minutes and scoring that amazing goal. I love him.”Fernandes has played as an emergency defender for the Red Devils before, famously doing so during United’s 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool last season.Speaking to Sky Sports following the win over Arsenal, he said: “It’s really easy when you don’t get results, when you don’t get performances to start losing belief in everything you’ve been doing.”That’s a good thing about the team is that we kept belief on what we are doing, how we are training and where we want to go as a team and what we want to improve as a team. “Every time you lose, or something goes wrong everyone has an opinion on what you should do differently.“Obviously, the manager has his own idea, and he really believes in this, so there is no way that he makes you not believe it. “Everything he says to you, everything he tries to pass you, he does it in a way that we really believe in what we are doing. “Even in games where you concede a goal or have a setback, he just wants us to understand that the things we are doing will result if we do them in the right way. That’s the most important thing.”United, who are the holders of the competition, were pitted at home against Leicester for the fourth round that will see Ruud van Nistelrooy return to Old Trafford.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Red Devils icon had a brief interim spell in charge of the team before Amorim took over following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.But first United have a Premier League clash against Southampton to contest with and to try and improve their 13th place standing.Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb. More

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      Man City given special dispensation to make major change to badge for FA Cup clash vs Salford

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      MANCHESTER CITY were given special permission to make a major change to their FA Cup sponsor badge for the third-round clash against Salford.Pep Guardiola’s side romped to an 8-0 win over the League Two outfit with James McAtee scoring a second-half hat-trick.Manchester City were given special permission to not wearing the ‘Emirates’ sponsor name on their sleeveCredit: RexMeanwhile, Salford did wear the ‘Emirates’ name on the FA Cup badgeCredit: RexPrevious seasons have seen Man City not wear the sleeve badge at all, like during last years finalCredit: RexBut Manchester United did wear the full sponsor on their sleeveCredit: RexThey have been allowed to not wear the badge since the 2015/16 seasonCredit: PA:Press AssociationHowever, eagle-eyed fans might have noticed a subtle difference between City’s and Salford’s kits on the right sleeve where the FA Cup sponsor badge is located.City were allowed to wear a badge which simply said “FA Cup” and showed a icon trophy icon, while the Salford badge said “Emirates FA Cup” with the trophy icon.The reason for this is because City have been handed special dispensation to not wear the Emirates name on their sleeve.City’s main sponsor is Abu Dhabi backed airline Etihad Airways, a direct competitor of competition sponsor Emirates who are based in Dubai, a neighbouring City in the UAE.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLFA Cup commercial rules allow for certain dispensations for clubs such as City to not wear the badge on their sleeves due to the direct rivalry and consequent conflict of interest.The club did not wear any sleeve badge at all for last years final defeat against Manchester United, while the Red Devils did.Going back as far as the 2015/16 season, City have been granted permission to not wear the badge on their matchday kit.Emirates became the sponsor of football’s old competition back in 2015.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThis deal has twice been extended, with the latest extension being signed in August 2024 to run until 2028.The current deal is reported to be worth around £10million a season.Pep Guardiola reveals Kyle Walker has asked to LEAVE Man City with England defender set or £400K-A-WEEK Saudi transferAfter dispatching the Class of 92 owned club, City were drawn away against one of Leyton Orient or Derby for the fourth round.The fixture will be played out on the weekend commencing February 8, while the opponent will be decided when the teams play each other on Tuesday evening.Man City have won the competition seven times overall, with their most recent coming in 2023 over Man Utd.They have won it twice in the Emirates era, having been to three finals. Since the club was taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, City have also been in the 2011 and 2013 finals, winning the former in what was a first major trophy for 35 years.FA Cup fourth round draw in fullTo be played weekend commencing February 8:Man Utd vs LeicesterLeeds vs Millwall/Dagenham & RedbridgeBrighton vs ChelseaPreston/Charlton vs WycombeExeter City vs Nottingham ForestCoventry vs IpswichBlackburn vs WolvesMansfield/Wigan vs FulhamBirmingham vs NewcastlePlymouth Argyle vs LiverpoolEverton vs BournemouthAston Villa vs SpursSouthampton vs BurnleyLeyton Orient/Derby vs Man CityDoncaster Rovers vs Crystal PalaceStoke vs Cardiff More

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      FA Cup may never look the same again as major change to tournament format is considered

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      WEMBLEY bosses will consider scrapping extra-time in next season’s FA Cup.But there is NO chance of replays coming back.FA bosses are considering a big change to extra time in next year’s FA CupCredit: PATamworth held Spurs to a 0-0 draw on Sunday, which in previous years would have seen them earn a replayCredit: PATamworth were denied the prospect of a money-spinning trip to N17 when they were forced into an extra half-hour after holding Spurs to a goalless draw in 90 minutes.In every other season, those third-round heroics would have guaranteed a replay.Those matches have previously seen minnows scoop more than half a million in gate receipts and TV cash.Prem clubs’ concerns over fixture congestion, exacerbated by the new initial stage of the Champions League and Europa League spreading into the last two weeks of January, saw the FA force through the decision to end all replays in April.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHowever, there is a growing feeling within the FA that finishing games after 90 minutes and going straight to a shoot-out will be better – especially for the lower-tier teams.Tamworth visibly tired after Ange Postecoglou was able to send on Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski for extra time on Sunday, with Spurs eventually scoring three in the additional 30 minutes.Manchester United also had to play for an extra half hour with 10 men against Arsenal, although they did then win the shoot-out to progress to round four.United will have played 16 matches between the start of December and the end of this month, with the heavy workload likely to bring further injuries.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThose European dates – which mean there would have been no space for Arsenal, Spurs or United to fit in a replay – will ensure that ties will all be settled on the day from now on.But FA chiefs are ready to discuss following the EFL Cup approach, with ties in the Carabao Cup having gone to spot-kicks after 90 minutes six seasons ago.Tamworth vs Tottenham kick-off DELAYED as players get piggyback to tape up net after spotting hole in goalTamworth themselves beat League One Burton on penalties in the first round.But non-leaguers Harborough, Kettering and Oldham all lost to EFL sides in extra-time.Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb.Now the FA plans to review the situation at the end of the season.And the “lottery” factor of a shoot-out after 90 minutes is a major argument in favour of shortening games from next term. More

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      Gary Lineker calls for rule change after major controversy in Arsenal’s FA Cup defeat to Man Utd

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      GARY LINEKER has called for a rule change after Gabriel Martinelli’s goal against Manchester United was disallowed.The forward thought he had put his side 1-0 up in the FA Cup third round clash, only to see the linesman’s flag raised.Gabriel Martinelli had a goal disallowed for offside against Man UtdCredit: ReutersGary Lineker suggested a rule change that could avoid confusion in futureCredit: PAReplays showed Martinelli was some yards offside with the only controversy being the fact United defender Harry Maguire had the last touch.The England defender was deemed not to have taken a deliberate touch however, so the referee allowed the decision to stand.Lineker discussed the incident on BBC’s coverage of the clash and pointed to the rulebook to explain why the correct decision was made.Despite agreeing with the verdict, Lineker suggested a rule change that could avoid confusion in the future.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe said: “Now, we understand they have given that (offside) because Harry Maguire is not in control of the ball, but you could argue, of course, that he should have been.“Here are the four things about when a player is uncontrolled. The ball travelled from a short distance or the player doesn’t have a clear view of it. Neither of those apply. The ball was moving quickly. Well, it wasn’t. The direction of the ball was unexpected. It wasn’t. “And, the player had limited or no time to coordinate their body movement. You could possibly make an argument on that, but we understand why it’s not given.“Now, why don’t they (the FA) just say all deflections in those circumstances are offside? Rather than this ambiguous nature of uncontrolled and controlled and all that.”Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSArsenal ratings vs Man Utd as Martinelli looks lively but wasteful Havertz costs Gunners another trophy chanceKAI HAVERTZ missed two sitters and a penalty in the shoot-out as Arsenal were dumped out of the FA Cup.The Gunners huffed and puffed but failed to find a winner, even after extra-time, against Manchester United’s 10 men.And it all went wrong in the penalty shootout as Altay Bayindir saved Havertz’s effort.Here is how SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rated the Arsenal stars…DAVID RAYA – 6Could do nothing about United’s goal and produced a stellar stop to deny Zirkzee in extra-time.JURRIEN TIMBER – 7Very effective on the overlap and worked well being fed by Odegaard.Tested a couple of times by Alejandro Garnacho who proved a problem on the counter-attack.WILLIAM SALIBA – 7Dealt with Hojlund well although the striker did not pose much of a threat.GABRIEL – 6Terrible error to lose possession to Alejandro Garnacho who was put through on goal and set up Bruno Fernandes to score.Made amends with a brilliant finish Bukayo Saka would have been proud of.MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 5A quiet game at left-back, probably should have got forward more particularly after United went down to ten men and had Garnacho filling in at right-back.JORGINHO – 5Kept things ticking over in the middle and was always an outlet for his team-mates.MIKEL MERINO – 4Anonymous in the middle. Difficult to see what he brings to this Arsenal side.Missed a good chance to put his side ahead moments after the equaliser and was taken off shortly after that.MARTIN ODEGAARD – 7A pleasure to watch. Made everything happen, his ability to turn on the ball in the middle of the park created opportunities time after time.But he missed the chance to win the game from the penalty spot.GABRIEL JESUS – 6Lovely pass to break the lines and put through Martinelli, who found the back of the net but was offside.Fell awkwardly when defending a cross in the first half and was carried off on a stretcher.GABRIEL MARTINELLI – 7Was the main attacking threat in the first half with his direct style causing the visitors all sorts of problems.Produced good movement and a finish to match but his goal was disallowed for offside.KAI HAVERTZ – 3Won the penalty after a deft touch past Maguire.But he missed two sitters including one just three minutes from time to win the match, and his penalty miss proved decisive in the shoot-out.SUBSTITUTESRaheem Sterling (for Jesus, 40mins) – 6Looked sharp when he got the ball and did well in the build-up to Havertz winning the penalty.Declan Rice (for Merino, 73mins) – 6Almost scored with what might have been his first touch but his header was brilliantly saved.Should have grabbed the winner in the dying moments but his low effort was again superbly matched by Bayindir.Leandro Trossard (for Lewis-Skelly, extra-time) – 5Will wonder how he didn’t score after Matthijs de Ligt produced a goalline clearance to deny him.Blazed over with an effort from just outside the box.Thomas Partey (for Timber, 101mins) – 5Put in a few good crosses. Came close to a winner with an effort that was deflected narrowly over the bar.Kieran Tierney (for Jorginho, 113mins) -His arrival onto the pitch was greeted with a big cheer but he did not have much time to impact the match.There was more controversy in the FA Cup clash as Arsenal were awarded a penalty despite Maguire making minimal contact on Kai Havertz.The Gunners missed the resulting spot-kick and after United were victorious in the penalty shoot-out, their media team tweeted: “Justice.”Alan Shearer in the dark on Gary Lineker’s MOTD replacement, but reveals why he doesn’t want to know who’s coming in More

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      Man Utd slapped with huge fine after FA Cup win at Arsenal and both clubs face punishment over penalty melee

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      MANCHESTER United will be hit with a £75,000 fine after their FA Cup triumph at Arsenal.But Wembley beaks could also charge BOTH clubs for the melee that followed the Gunners’ contentious second half penalty.A huge scrap broke out during Arsenal’s FA Cup clash with Man UtdCredit: ReutersLisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandez, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire were outraged by the referee’s decision to give a second half penaltyCredit: GettyMan Utd have been hit with a fine for receiving at least six cards during the matchCredit: PAUnited survived almost an hour of normal and extra time with 10 men after Diogo Dalot was dismissed for a second yellow card.Lisandro Martinez, Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire – for his outraged reaction to Kai Havertz’s role in the spot kick award – were also cautioned by ref Andy Madley, as well as one member of the United coaching staff.Fines are automatically issued if a club picks up six or more cards in a game, with the amount increasing each time.United were fined £25,000 for breaching the threshold in the 3-0 home defeat by Spurs, doubled to £50,000 for a repeat offence in the Old Trafford draw with Chelsea.READ MORE ON MAN UTDAnd the third occurrence will see the fine increase to £75,000, taking their tally to £150,000 so far this season.Meanwhile, FA beaks will await Madley’s report before deciding whether to issue charges of “failing to control players” to both clubs in the tear-up sparked by the penalty award.Maguire appeared to label Havertz a “cheat” after his tumble was viewed by Madley as a foul.There were a series of physical clashes on the edge of the box and with no VAR in operation Madley and his fellow officials received no help in determining what had gone on. Once calm had been restored, Altay Bayindir saved Martin Odegaard’s effort.Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBut it is likely that the FA will study the footage and issue charges against both clubs, likely to result in significant extra fines.The Man Utd social media account claimed “justice” was served at full-time.Ruben Amorim praises ‘hero’ Altay Bayindir after Man Utd FA Cup win Reacting to the initial penalty incident, Ruben Amorim said: “The players told me it was not a penalty, but let’s move on.”We are more resilient. More aggressive.”We showed a different spirit. We are improving that aspect.”The players were really tired but today was our day. I felt a connection with the fans.”Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb. More

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      New footage emerges of Man Utd stars Martinez and Ugarte confronting Havertz after Arsenal’s penalty miss

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      FOOTAGE has emerged of Manchester United stars Lisandro Martinez and Manuel Ugarte confronting Kai Havertz.The flash point happened in the seconds after Martin Odegaard’s penalty miss in the fiery FA Cup third round tie.Lisandro Martinez and Manuel Ugarte confronted Kai Havertz after Martin Odegaard’s penalty missCredit: https://x.com/doin_bitssThe Man Utd stars both shoved the striker after he attempted to get the reboundCredit: https://x.com/doin_bitssWhen the second half penalty was awarded, United defender Harry Maguire appeared to brand Havertz a “cheat” after he went down in the box to win the controversial spot-kick.It sparked a major scrap between the two teams, with Gabriel Magalhaes, Havertz and Maguire eventually booked.Gunners captain Odegaard went on to take the penalty but his effort was saved by Altay Bayindir.New footage from the aftermath of the miss, which emerged on social media after full-time, shows Havertz attempting to beat the United goalkeeper to the rebound.READ MORE ON MAN UTDWhen he fails to get there in time, both Martinez and Ugarte step in to give him a push.Fans took to social media to react to the incident, with one person writing: “I actually proper rate that.”Another commented: “I’ve missed this side of us. All instilled by the manager, what a guy”While a third said: “Ugarte they will never make me hate you.”Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSA huge scrap broke out after the referee awarded a controversial penaltyCredit: ReutersMan Utd went on to win the match on penalties – following a miss from Havertz in the shoot-out.The club social media account claimed “justice” was served at full-time.Arsenal and Man Utd stars in furious brawl as Harry Maguire goes for Kai Havertz as players hit the deck in mad scrambleReacting to the initial penalty incident, Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim said: “The players told me it was not a penalty, but let’s move on.”We are more resilient. More aggressive.”We showed a different spirit. We are improving that aspect.”The players were really tired but today was our day. I felt a connection with the fans.”Man Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb. More

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      Ruben Amorim smiles as he and Man Utd stars arrive back in Manchester after FA Cup heroics against Arsenal

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      MANCHESTER UNITED stars were all smiles as they headed home from dumping Arsenal out the FA Cup.The ten-men Red Devils put in a heroic performance and booked their place in the fourth round 5-3 on penalties.Ruben Amorim waved to fans after guiding United to victory over ArsenalCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeThe manager was all smiles in his eye-catching PorscheCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeAlejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo shared a ride home in a Range RoverCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeLisandro Martinez drove away in a Rolls-Royce with Manuel Ugarte next to himCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeSkipper Bruno Fernandes left in a Bentley BentaygaCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeMan Utd flew back from Luton Airport and were due to arrive in Manchester at 20:16.But the nerve-racking extra-time and penalties delayed their landing time to 21:52 last night.The players and staff were pictured leaving the airport in their luxury cars, looking thrilled with their second consecutive strong performance on the road after drawing 2-2 with Liverpool.Joshua Zirkzee has had a tough time at Old Trafford since his £36.5million move from Bologna in the summer but finally got the moment he has been dreaming about, converting the decisive spot-kick to knock Arsenal out.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThe striker was picked up by a friend in a Range Rover worth approximately £130,000.Zirkzee’s compatriot Matthijs de Ligt waved to fans by the car park’s exit as he sped off in the same model of car.Bruno Fernandes scored United’s goal in normal time and he was seen driving away in a new £250,000 Bentley Bentayga.In a similar car, Noussair Mazraoui went from wing-back to chauffeur as he took Tyrell Malacia home.Most read in FA CupFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSPenalty hero Joshua Zirkzee was picked up by a friendCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeMatthijs DeLigt acknowledged fans from his £120,000 carCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeNoussair Mazraoui and Tyrell Malacia went home in a Bentley BentaygaCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeLisandro Martinez was behind the wheel of an eye-catching Rolls-Royce Phantom valued at close to £400,000 and had team-mate Manuel Ugarte in the passenger seat.Young wingers Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo also shared the journey back in the Argentine’s gleaming white Range Rover.Arsenal and Man Utd stars in furious brawl as Harry Maguire goes for Kai Havertz as players hit the deck in mad scrambleManager Ruben Amorim departed in a £180,000 electric Porsche Taycan Turbo Estate.The boss was all smiles as he stopped and greeted supporters that had waited to get a glimpse of their heroes.Amorim is believed to have told fans that the players did not stop to meet them as they needed to get home and rest in preparation for Thursday’s clash against Southampton.Third-choice keeper Tom Heaton was also pictured in an Audi RSQ8 that can cost as much as £120,000.And club-legend-turned-chief Darren Fletcher was on the flight with the squad and went home in a Mercedes G-Wagon that are worth around £150,000.As United travelled home from their victory over Arsenal, Amorim’s side found out that former interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy heads back to Old Trafford with Leicester in the next round.Darren Fletcher was seen leaving with the playersCredit: Eamonn and James ClarkeTom Heaton was behind the wheel of a Audi RSQ8Credit: Eamonn and James ClarkeMan Utd ratings vs Arsenal as Maguire and Co dig deep to win after Dalot’s moment of madnessMANCHESTER UNITED produced a heroic effort to squeeze past Arsenal and into the FA Cup’s fourth round on penalties.The Red Devils were forced to dig deep at the Emirates following Diogo Dalot’s 61st minute red card.On a freezing cold afternoon in North London, SunSport’s Kealan Hughes rates and slates each United performer…ALTAY BAYINDIR – 8Poor punch up in the air which allowed the ball to fall nicely for Gabriel to finish.Redeemed himself with a brilliant penalty save to keep the score level, before superbly denying Declan Rice twice.NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 7Was assured on and off the ball if unspectacular. Got his body on the line as the Gunners pushed for a winner.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 8Solid in defence and kept the backline well organised. Produced the best tackle of the match on the goalline to deny Leandro Trossard a certain goal.HARRY MAGUIRE – 8Commanding in the air and made several key blocks but gave away the penalty which Arsenal missed to go in front.Got away with an earlier error as he failed to clear – the ball landed at Kai Havertz’s feet but he somehow skewed wide with his effort.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 7Had to be on high alert to deal with the movement of Arsenal forwards but it was a task he managed well.DIOGO DALOT – 3Booked for a mistimed lunge on Lewis-Skelly. He followed that up with another silly, late foul on Merino with the ball about to go out of play for his second yellow. Stupid red card.MANUEL UGARTE – 7A firefighter all across the pitch for his side, although spent most of the match in his own half given Arsenal’s dominance.Was booked for one foul too many just before the hour mark and was lucky to escape a red card as he went head-to-head with Havertz after the penalty incident.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Lively in the middle and kept a close eye on Jorginho. Looked sharp on the ball and showed some clever touches.Should have done better to head clear before Gabriel’s equaliser.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 7Always an outlet on the counter which was much needed for the Red Devils.Made the most of a Gabriel error to burst in on goal and pass across to Fernandes to score.BRUNO FERNANDES – 7Was booked for throwing a trademark tantrum after claiming he was fouled on the edge of the box when lining up a shot.Showed his class with a brilliant first-time finish which he bent around a defender into the far corner.RASMUS HOJLUND – 3Failed to provide the focal point that United badly needed, which meant almost every pass forward was dealt with by the Arsenal centre-halves. Was fortunate there was no VAR to take a look at his apparent elbow on William Saliba, which left the Arsenal star bloodied.SUBSTITUTESAmad (for Garnacho, 80mins) – 6Lively on the counter too but just lacking a bit of quality – though was outnumbered every time he got the ball.Joshua Zirkzee (for Hojlund, 80mins) – 6Some very clever touches when he came on and provided a presence up front at a time United badly needed it.Toby Collyer (for Mainoo, 80mins) – 5Showed plenty of energy but was missing quality in some areas.Tyrell Malacia (for Ugarte, extra-time) – 6Stuck to his task well.Leno Yoro (for Maguire, 104) – 6Did his job well during the closing stages of the match. Converted his penalty in the shoot-out with aplomb. More