Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has reacted to the club’s thrilling penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time, with United clinching the win through a tense penalty shootout.
Controversy arose in the 69th minute when referee Andy Madley awarded a penalty to Arsenal after Harry Maguire’s tackle on Kai Havertz in the box. Despite the opportunity, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard’s penalty was saved by United’s goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, who also stopped Havertz’s effort during the shootout.
Earlier in the match, Bruno Fernandes gave Manchester United the lead in the 52nd minute. However, United’s Diogo Dalot was sent off in the 61st minute after receiving a second yellow card for a tackle on Mikel Merino. Arsenal capitalized on their numerical advantage, equalizing through Gabriel Magalhães in the 63rd minute.
Despite Arsenal’s attempts to secure a win, the match was decided by penalties, with United emerging victorious.
Reacting to the match on X (formerly Twitter), Ferdinand praised United’s performance, highlighting their resilience. He tweeted:
“Another battling performance… desire, willingness to fight as a team! #ManUtd. Bet the ref’s gutted.”
In another tweet, he added: “Have that!”
Arsenal had the chance to seal the game and progress to the fourth round, but Odegaard’s missed penalty and Havertz’s struggles in the shootout proved costly.
The FA Cup fourth-round draw has been made, with Manchester United advancing to face new challenges in their quest for the title.