Arsenal’s William Saliba was prevented from taking a penalty in the FA Cup third-round shootout against Manchester United due to a little-known rule. The Gunners were eliminated after a 5-3 penalty loss, with Joshua Zirkzee scoring the winning kick.
United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir made key saves, including one from Kai Havertz in the shootout and another from Martin Ødegaard during regular time, following a controversial penalty awarded for a supposed foul by Harry Maguire. Despite United playing the final 30 minutes with 10 players due to Diogo Dalot’s second yellow card, they still secured victory.
In the shootout, Arsenal’s Odegaard, Havertz, Declan Rice, and Thomas Partey took penalties, but manager Mikel Arteta could only select 10 players to participate. Although Saliba had completed 120 minutes on the field, he was unable to take a penalty because FA rules stipulate that both teams must have an equal number of penalty takers. As United had a player sent off, Arsenal had to choose one player to sit out, with Saliba being the one excluded. This meant that if both teams reached 11 penalties, the cycle would reset after 10 kicks. Surprisingly, Arsenal allowed goalkeeper David Raya to take a penalty over Saliba.
Ultimately, Arsenal were knocked out after just four penalties. United manager Ruben Amorim reflected on the match, praising his team’s performance, particularly in set-pieces and their spirit despite being down to 10 men. He expressed confidence from the start, feeling a strong connection with the fa
ns.
