Altay Binder saved Kai Havertz's penalty in the shootout as part of an inspired display from the goalkeepers to send 10-man Manchester United into the FA Cup fourth round on penalties in a Premier League match against Arsenal.
Bruno Fernandes gave the visitors the lead in the 52nd minute, before Gabriel equalized two minutes after Diogo Dalot was sent off for receiving a second yellow card.
Joshua Zirkzee keeps his calm to send Manchester United to the next round! What a drama!
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– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) January 12, 2025
Martin Odegaard then saved a penalty kick during the second half of normal time as part of an exceptional performance for Bender.
Fernandes, Odegaard, Amad Diallo, Lenny Euro, Declan Rice, Lisandro Martinez and Thomas Partey all scored in the shootout before Joshua Zirkzee scored an emphatic winner, with Bender touching Havertz's low shot – Arsenal's second kick – off the post and off the post.
Save! Advantage for Manchester United!
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– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) January 12, 2025
Arsenal vs Man United
Gabriel Martinelli's early cancellation was the most notable moment of an unpromising first half before this thrilling match burst into life seven minutes into the second half.
United took the lead through Fernandes' shot from the edge of the box as part of a quick counter-attack, setting off an extraordinary procession of drama for the remainder of the first half.
“One chance, one goal for the United captain!”
The stalemate has been broken. Manchester United is in the lead!
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– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) January 12, 2025
After Dalot received a second booking for a foul on Mikel Merino, centre-back Gabriel's low shot from Binder's punch deflected off Matthijs de Ligt's player to equalize for Arsenal 27 minutes from normal time.
The momentum appeared to shift decisively in Arsenal's favor when they were then awarded a penalty after Harry Maguire was deemed to have impeded Havertz's run, although the contact appeared minimal and might have been judged differently had VAR intervention been allowed. ) before that. The fifth round of the competition.
United's anger turned to delight when Bender brilliantly saved Odegaard's penalty, deflecting the powerful strike wide to his left.
All square! The momentum of this event changed very quickly.
Gabriel scores the equalizer!
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– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) January 12, 2025
Bender's brilliance sends United through the goal
In a sign of mounting tensions – a time-honoured tradition of a match between two of English football's most powerful players – Ugarte and Havertz exchanged heads for several seconds, both managers perhaps grateful for the absence of VAR after the ensuing brawl.
Binder had only previously featured in the EFL Cup this season, and the Turkey international appeared to be making up for lost time when he tipped Rice's header from Odegaard's pass over the bar and diverted the England midfielder's low shot narrowly beyond his far post. From the footnotes.
What a moment for Altai Binder! He adapted well to save Martin Odegaard's penalty kick!
This game definitely picked up in the second half!
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– BBC Sport (@BBC Sport) January 12, 2025
Substitute Andre Onana could have done little if Havertz had not rejected another Odegaard pass, stabbing him in as the familiar problems in front of goal returned to worry Arsenal.
The Gunners continued to dominate the flow of chances during extra time, but United came close to scoring when David Raya diverted Zirkzey's deflected shot back, producing a brilliant reaction save to turn the ball around his near post.
United will host Leicester City in the fourth round match that will be held on the weekend of February 8.
