Amorim must upgrade on 4/10 Man Utd dud who won 0 duels

Manchester United made it through to the fourth round of the FA Cup, beating Arsenal 5-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 with Mikel Arteta’s side following extra time.

The victory at the Emirates was made all the more impressive, featuring for the final thirty minutes of the clash and the whole of extra time with just ten men after Diogo Dalot’s second yellow card.

Bruno Fernandes’ goal put the Red Devils ahead before Gabriel levelled a few minutes later, with no side able to find a winner before the spot kicks commenced.

Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir saved Martin’ Odegaard’s penalty in normal time, before also denying Kai Havertz’s effort in the shootout, helping the holders advance against all the odds.

Ruben Amorim masterminded the perfect result after Dalot’s dismissal, but not every player played an important part in the victory, failing to impress and ultimately being saved by the backup goalkeeper.

Man Utd’s disappointing performers against Arsenal

Left wing-back Dalot once again featured in an unnatural role to accommodate for Noussair Mazraoui on the opposite side.

Even before his sending off, the Portuguese failed to pull up any trees, losing five out of the six duels he entered, whilst also committing four fouls in the process.

Whilst he may not have made any contact for his second yellow, his decision to go flying into a challenge was ludicrous, and simply unacceptable – getting a lucky escape after the side bailed him out following their victory.

Forward Alejandro Garnacho was handed a start by boss Amorim at the Emirates, registering the assist

for Bruno’s second-half strike, but ultimately not doing enough once again to retain his starting role.

The Argentine featured for 80 minutes, registering just one effort on goal, whilst also committing three fouls and failing to complete any of his attempted crosses.

The aforementioned pair weren’t the only ones to struggle in North London, with one player being saved by the heroic Bayindir after his lack of impact against the Gunners.

The Man United player who needs to be axed after Arsenal

Striker Rasmus Hojlund was starting his fourth game in a row at the Emirates for United, but once more failed to demonstrate why he should be the club’s number one striker.

The Denmark international failed to find the back of the net for a seventh straight match, further highlighting the need for investment in the attacking areas before the end of January.

He was subsequently replaced after 81 minutes, longer than many expected after his lack of impact, being replaced by fellow forward Joshua Zirkzee who managed to tuck home the winning penalty.

Hojlund endured an evening to forget, managing just 16 touches of the ball, losing 100% of the duels he entered against the Arsenal backline.

The 21-year-old also was unable to register a single effort on goal, lacking that impact and focal point that Amorim has desperately been desiring since his appointment.

As a result of his showing, the striker was handed a 4/10 match rating by The Express’ Alex Turk, with only Dalot receiving a lower match rating than the Dane in the cup triumph.

After such a dismal showing, Amorim needs to axe Hojlund from his starting eleven for the next Premier League clash against Southampton on Thursday night.

Zirkzee may appear to be the only other central option currently at his disposal, further showcasing the need for the club to back the new manager in the transfer market in the coming weeks.