Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly set to face an FA investigation following their FA Cup third-round clash at the Emirates Stadium.
United secured victory in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in extra time. Bruno Fernandes opened the scoring with a stunning strike in the 52nd minute, but Arsenal equalized through Gabriel Magalhaes after Martin Odegaard’s penalty was saved by Altay Bayindir.
The match saw United reduced to 10 men when Diogo Dalot received a second yellow card. The decisive moment came in the shootout, with Bayindir denying Kai Havertz to seal the win for the visitors.
Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has revealed that the FA will investigate a mass confrontation during the game. The altercation began when United’s Manuel Ugarte appeared to headbutt Havertz, prompting Mikel Merino to push Ugarte to the ground. Meanwhile, another group of players clashed nearby.
Hackett, speaking to Football Insider, compared the incident to a past case he officiated that led to both teams receiving points deductions, though he clarified that this would not apply here as the fixture was in the FA Cup.
“The mass confrontation will be the subject of an investigation,” Hackett said. “Years ago, I officiated a 21-man brawl. I didn’t issue red cards to avoid having multiple players sent off but submitted a detailed report. The FA investigated and deducted points from both teams. I’m confident both United and Arsenal will be charged for failing to control their players.”
If found guilty, the usual punishment is a fine. Arsenal have faced similar charges and fines in recent years, while United were fined £82,000 in 2022 for failing to control players during games against Newcastle and Chelsea.
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