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Arsenal Dominates Rivalry, Yet United Prevails in FA Cup

Arsenal has exhibited a formidable performance in their recent encounters with Manchester United, achieving victory in their last four Premier League meetings. This streak marks a notable moment in the history of their rivalry. However, their fortunes took a turn when they faced a diminished United side in the FA Cup, where they suffered a defeat in a penalty shootout last January.

Despite the recent trend favoring Arsenal, statistical analysis indicates that United’s success in their latest third-round cup match was somewhat unexpected.

Under the management of Mikel Arteta, Arsenal displayed dominance across various metrics during both the league match and the cup tie. Their efforts were thwarted, however, by a standout performance from United’s second-choice goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, who made several crucial saves to keep the Gunners at bay.

In comparing the two matches, Arsenal boasted an expected goals tally of 5.3, significantly overshadowing United’s mere 0.5. Furthermore, Arsenal managed to unleash 13 shots on target compared to United’s six, while their successful crossing attempts numbered 15, in stark contrast to United’s two.

Interestingly, the only area where United managed to make a notable impact was in their physical play, committing 50% more fouls than Arsenal during the matches.

Reflecting on the competition, Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard expressed respect for United, acknowledging their rich history and potential despite recent struggles. “It’s a big club which has struggled a little bit, but we know the quality they have when they’re really on it,” he noted. “They have a lot of good individual players that we have to be ready for.

“But we go there to win. We’re Arsenal and we’re not scared. There’s always more to play for at the end of the season, but every game in this league is so important from the start to the end.”

Source
www.bbc.com