Arsenal vs Manchester United

Arsenal have lost five of their last six FA Cup ties, while the Gunners have been eliminated from the competition in the third round in back-to-back campaigns for the first time since 1995/1996 (v Millwall and Sheffield United).  

Manchester United have eliminated Arsenal from the FA Cup for the ninth time, more often than any other team. Meanwhile, the Red Devils have only progressed in the competition more often at the expense of Aston Villa (11), Liverpool (11) and Reading (10) than the Gunners.

Manchester United have won three of their last four penalty shootouts in all competitions, after only winning one of their eight shootouts prior between April 2009 and February 2022.

This is the 16th different FA Cup tie (excluding replays/second legs) between Arsenal and Manchester United, the second most in the competition’s history after Everton vs Liverpool (19).

This is the first meeting between Arsenal and Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup. It will be the seventh different fixture in the current format of the competition (since 1925-26) to have been played in each of the six rounds available to top-flight clubs after Arsenal vs Chelsea, Chelsea vs Liverpool, Chelsea vs Man Utd, Chelsea vs Tottenham, Liverpool vs Man Utd and Man Utd vs Southampton.

Arsenal have eliminated the holders of the FA Cup on each of the last six occasions they’ve faced them, most recently beating Manchester City 2-0 in the 2019-20 semi-final. However, Manchester United have won three of their last four FA Cup games against the Gunners, including their only previous meeting at the Emirates Stadium in the competition (3-1 in January 2019).

Manchester United have eliminated Arsenal from the FA Cup more than any other side in the competition’s history (8), while the Gunners have knocked out the Red Devils more than any other team (7).

Arsenal have been eliminated from the FA Cup at the third round stage in two of the last three seasons, having fallen at this hurdle in just one of the previous 25 campaigns. They last went out in the third round in consecutive seasons in 1994-95 (vs Millwall) and 1995-96 (vs Sheffield United).