Arsenal vs Manchester United LIVE!
A huge clash at the Emirates Stadium headlines today’s FA Cup action. The two most successful teams in the competition’s history face off as the defending champions take on an impressive Gunners side and you can argue that both managers are in need of a win this afternoon.
Mikel Arteta won this competition just a few months after being appointed, way back in 2020, but has failed to add to his trophy haul since despite heavy transfer spending and a number of tight Premier League title races with Manchester City. Ruben Amorim, meanwhile, has lost four of United’s last five games, but held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw last time out.
Amorim will hope that improved away performance will serve as a good omen this afternoon as he looks to emulate predecessor Erik ten Hag’s triumph in this competition last season. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Simon Collings and Malik Ouzia at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal vs Manchester United latest updates
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PENALTY SAVED! Odegaard denied by Bayindir
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GOAL! Gabriel equalises with half-volley
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RED CARD! Dalot sent off for two yellows
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GOAL! Fernandes breaks the deadlock
17:17 , Alex Young
102min: Havertz drags Collyer down, and escapes a second booking.
17:16 , Alex Young
101min: That is incredible, incredible defending from De Ligt, clearing the ball form under his own crossbar as Trossard flies in.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
17:11 , Alex Young
Arsenal looking to, rightfully, get this done in extra-time. They do not need the lottery of penalties, especially when United’s keeper has already saved one.
17:10 , Alex Young
94min: A huge block from De Ligt to deny Rice after a smart turn inside the area.
Arsenal on top in the opening stages of extra time.
17:08 , Alex Young
93min: Jorginho tries to find the run of Havertz, but there’s a little too much spice on it so the keeper collects.
Extra time!
17:05 , Alex Young
91min: Back underway.
17:05 , Alex Young
Players are back out on the pitch. Both teams have made a change as Malacia replaces Ugarte and Trossard is on for Lewis-Skelly.
End of 90 minutes!
16:59 , Alex Young
98min: We’re heading for extra time.
16:57 , Alex Young
95min: Straight up the other end and Zirkzee delays his pass to Amad too long and the latter is offside.
16:57 , Alex Young
94min: So close!
Rice looks to have won it at the death, but Bayindir produces a fingertip save to deny him.
16:56 , Alex Young
93min: Timber tries his luck from 30 yards, with team-mates either side, and misses by a distance.
16:53 , Alex Young
90min: Seven minutes added on.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
16:51 , Alex Young
Don’t know how Havertz has missed that – and I am not even sure he is either.
Arsenal do not need extra time with a north London Derby on Wednesday, but at least Spurs have had the same.
16:50 , Alex Young
88min: Sitter for Havertz, another miss from Havertz!
16:50 , Alex Young
87min: Amad delays and delays and delays before ignoring Collyer’s run and instead tries to find Zirkzee on the edge of the area… who can’t hit the target. Wrong decision.
16:46 , Alex Young
84min: A very quiet Emirates Stadium at the moment, in the home stands at least.
16:43 , Alex Young
81min: Collyer, Amad and Zirkzee on for Mainoo, Garnacho and Hojlund.
16:42 , Alex Young
80min: Back underway and the corner comes to nothing.
16:40 , Alex Young
78min: Pause in play as Bayindir receives treatment before the corner is taken.
16:39 , Alex Young
76min: Rice is denied from point-blank save with a free header!
He had to score.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
16:38 , Alex Young
The real winner today: VAR.
PENALTY SAVED!
16:35 , Alex Young
72min: Odegaard is denied by Bayindir! What a save down to his left.
Maguire will feel justice is done.
16:33 , Alex Young
70min: We’ve got some argy-bargy between Ugarte and Havertz. Hints of a headbutt but either way it’s embarrassing from both.
PENALTY TO ARSENAL!
16:32 , Alex Young
69min: Sterling dinks into the box and Havertz is tripped by Maguire!
No VAR and that looks soft.
16:31 , Alex Young
69min: Sterling is proving very lively down the left.
16:28 , Alex Young
66min: Oh, Arsenal should be ahead!
Sterling does very well to cut the ball back inside the area, but Merino’s effort is deflected wide.
16:28 , Alex Young
65min: What a painful few minutes for United. What do they have in them now?
GOAL!
16:26 , Alex Young
63min: Gabriel makes amends!
United don’t deal with a cross into their box and the ball drops kindly for Gabriel to half-volley inside the near post via a deflection off De Ligt.
RED CARD!
16:24 , Alex Young
61min: Deary me, Dalot! He loses the ball with a poor touch and flies in on Merino to earn a second yellow card and his marching orders!
So silly.
16:23 , Alex Young
60min: Fernandes’ corner almost bends straight in, but there’s a foul by Dalot in the centre.
16:21 , Alex Young
59min: Sterling tees up Odegaard on the edge of the area, but the skipper just drills a shot into De Ligt.
16:20
58min: Bayindir has booted the ball straight out of play again.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
16:19 , Alex Young
Arsenal, finally, playing with a bit of urgency after going behind. They’ve been so slow all game when attacking.
16:19 , Alex Young
57min: The skipper tries to find Gabriel but Maguire gets in the way.
16:19 , Alex Young
56min: Ugarte booked for a late tackle. Odegaard steps over the free kick, about 35 yards from goal.
16:17 , Alex Young
54min: A horrible miss from Havertz! The forward spins inside the area and just needs to hit the target but he’s off balance and balloons a shot wide.
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
16:16 , Alex Young
That is an absolutely corking finish from Bruno Fernandes. Have a look at how the ball bobbles up – exactly like that chance for Maguire at Anfield last week.
GOAL!
16:15 , Alex Young
52min: Breakthrough!
Gabriel is dispossessed on the halfway line by Garnacho, who runs through and lays it off for Fernandes to bend past Raya!
16:11 , Alex Young
49min: Dalot booked for a lunge on Timber. Arsenal have a free kick on the left-hand side of the area.
Second half!
16:07 , Alex Young
46min: Back underway.
16:06 , Alex Young
Odegaard is trotting fine, it seems.
16:05 , Alex Young
Teams are back out.
15:58 , Alex Young
BBC coverage is waxing lyrical about Odegaard’s performance given he is one of very few players who look at the races today. They’re not wrong, and Arteta will hope his midfielder hasn’t suffered a knock after sitting on the pitch just before the break.
Half-time!
15:51 , Alex Young
51min: That’s your lot, and there was not much of it.
15:50 , Alex Young
49min: Eyes on Odegaard, who is ever so slightly limping after booting the ball.
15:47 , Alex Young
47min: Martinez is lucky to avoid another booking after catching Odegaard from behind.
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
15:46 , Alex Young
Altay Bayindir’s kicking has been absolutely abhorrent. He keeps trying to drill balls into midfield and catching them completely wrong.
15:46 , Alex Young
45min: Neither team have properly got going. Five minutes added on.
15:44 , Alex Young
43min: Martinelli’s delivery is claimed by Bayindir.
15:43 , Alex Young
41min: Sterling’s first touch is to see his pass into Martinelli deflected behind for a corner.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
15:40 , Alex Young
Jesus goes off on a stretcher, with his shirt over his face. Horrible to see after his run of injuries.
15:40 , Alex Young
39min: Jesus has actually come off worse from that tackle and it looks like his game is done. Stretched is out and Sterling is being warmed up.
15:39 , Alex Young
38min: Fernandes booked for throwing his boot to the ground in frustration after a tackle from behind takes it off his foot.
15:36 , Alex Young
35min: Garnacho forces Raya into another save on the angle after Hojlund is fouled by Saliba. Game is starting to open up.
15:33 , Alex Young
32min: Bayindir hasn’t been troubled by Arsenal yet but he still looks nervy when claiming the ball and, well, kicking it too.
15:30 , Alex Young
29min: First yellow card of the game as Martinez is booked for an elbow on Jesus.
15:28 , Alex Young
28min: After a long delay, Martinelli floats it towards the back post and Mazraoui heads clear.
15:26 , Alex Young
26min: Jesus sends in a cross looking for Merino, who Mazraoui heads behind for a corner.
15:25 , Alex Young
25min: An actual shot on target from United as Mainoo has a pop from the edge of the area. It’s easy for Raya.
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
15:23 , Alex Young
The numbers aren’t stacking up for United at the moment. They’re a man light in midfield – either Bruno Fernandes needs to drop in or one of the centre-backs has to step out with Odegaard, which isn’t easy because he pops up everywhere.
15:23 , Alex Young
22min: Odegaard tries to bring down the ball inside the area but it’s a tough pass from Martinelli to control and it spins out of his grasp.
NO GOAL!
15:19 , Alex Young
18min: Martinelli think he has broken the deadlock, running through an beating Bayindir to his right, but he’s clearly offside before Arteta’s complaints.
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
15:17 , Alex Young
It’s not been a convincing start from United at all. They’ve not allowed Arsenal any chances but they can’t retain the ball or get any sort of foothold up the pitch.
15:17 , Alex Young
15min: Arsenal have really penned United in so far, with the visitors unable to create a single attack of note, though without being overly threatening themselves.
15:15 , Alex Young
11min: Bayindir looks a bit nervy, it must be said. He’s just sent one kick straight out of play and Amorim did not disguise his frustrations.
Simon Collings at Emirates Stadium
15:10 , Alex Young
Jesus the fourth player to get a start on the right wing for Arsenal since Saka’s injury last month. It’s a role he has done in the past, including at Man City, and his work in tight spaces should compliment Odegaard.
15:09 , Alex Young
7min: This game still hasn’t quite got going yet. Arsenal’s goalkeeper playing 30 yards from goal just about sums it up.
15:04 , Alex Young
4min: Odegaard and Jesus not the same wavelength as skipper tries to find striker inside the area.
A tame start at the Emirates.
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
15:02 , Alex Young
Ruben Amorim’s been in England for two months now but he’s still not got himself a winter wardrobe. He’s in the cream chinos and box-fresh white trainers this afternoon.
15:01 , Alex Young
2min: Arsenal being in white and Manchester United in blue is certainly a thing.
Kick-off!
15:00 , Alex Young
1min: Here we go!
Malik Ouzia at Emirates Stadium
14:58 , Alex Young
Even with the thousand empty seats, it is a huge away contingent here, sweeping right the way round the lower tier at the Clock End and up to the edge of the press box.
14:58 , Alex Young
Arsenal are wearing their all-white kit again.
You can read why: here.
14:57
Right then, here come the teams.
Amad injury
14:49 , Alex Young
An update on Amad, who is on the bench today after picking up a knock during the week.
Ruben Amorim tells BBC Sport: “Amad had a small issue during the week and I like the way Garnacho plays – he is playing well. The way he is training we felt it was a good opportunity to see Garnacho start the game.
“We are focused on being competitive on the small things and on the set-pieces that’s a tough thing to beat this team in that department.
“We have to show more aggression in the final third. We have a great history in this competition and we want to win.”
14:44 , Alex Young
A reminder that there are no replays, so it will go to extra-time and penalties today if required.
Tottenham currently in extra-time against non-league Tamworth.
14:39 , Alex Young
It’s a big game for Altay Bayindir in goal today. He rarely gets a look in but Amorim has trusted him today.
Calafiori injured
14:32 , Alex Young
Arsenal’s injury issues in defence have continued after Riccardo Calafiori was forced to miss Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Manchester United.
Calafiori was left out of the squad entirely for the third round tie at Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal confirming he was absent due to injury.
“Riccardo Calafiori is out injured, so is not in the 20-man squad at all,” Arsenal wrote on their official club website when posting the team news.
Calfiori played 90 minutes last weekend as Arsenal draw 1-1 at Brighton, but was an unused substitute on Tuesday for the Gunners’ 2-0 loss to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup.
Myles Lewis-Skelly started in place of the Italian against Newcastle and kept his place for today.
Read in full here!
Score prediction
14:26 , Alex Young
Arsenal looked rather blunt against Newcastle but United cannot be relied upon. With that in mind, the Gunners look slight favourites at this stage.
Arsenal to win, 2-1.
14:24 , Alex Young
So, Rice drops out of the midfield today with Jorginho getting the nod for Arsenal.
For Manchester United, they are full strength bar cup keeper Bayindir in goal.
Team news in full
14:20 , Alex Young
Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly, Odegaard, Jorginho, Merino, Gabriel Jesus, Havertz, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Zinchenko, Tierney, Kiwior, Rice, Partey, Sterling, Trossard, Butler-Oyedeji
Manchester United XI: Bayindir, de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot, Garnacho, Fernandes, Hojlund
Subs: Onana, Malacia, Yoro, Diallo, Casemiro, Collyer, Eriksen, Antony, Zirkzee
Manchester United XI
14:13 , Alex Young
…and the visitors!
Arsenal XI
14:12 , Alex Young
Here’s how they look!
⚪️ 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 ⚪️
🪄 Lewis-Skelly retains place at left-back
🤝 Jorginho partners Merino
⚡️ Jesus on the wingLet’s give it everything we’ve got, Gunners ✊
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 12, 2025
How to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United
14:04 , Alex Young
TV channel: The game will be broadcast on BBC One. Coverage starts at 2.35pm GMT ahead of an 8pm kick-off.
Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the BBC Sport website and the BBC iPlayer, which are both free with a subscription.
Welcome
13:59 , Alex Young
Good afternoon and welcome to the London Standard’s LIVE coverage of the FA Cup third round clash between Arsenal and Manchester United.
It’s the holders against the most successful side in the competition’s history, and as the hosts have somewhat faltered of late then the visitors produced their best performance in months last time out.
We are, hopefully, poised for a cup classic. Kick-off is at 4.30pm, so stick with us.
