Angel Di Maria's exit, picking up two yellow cards in three minutes late, kept his miserable run of form going. Van Gaal will end his first season at Old Trafford without silverware, whereas he won trophies in his debut campaigns with Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Going out to Arsenal certainly represented a low. Reaching the quarterfinals scarcely constituted an achievement. In contrast, United's FA Cup run consisted of beating Yeovil, Cambridge and Preston. This time around, they got the toughest draw in the last eight and prevailed. They beat Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton en route to Wembley last season. Now, the holders will take some stopping. They are on course for their annual top-four finish and perhaps to retain the FA Cup. They have recorded 18 victories in 23 games, a run that has been rather obscured by their calamitous performance against Monaco. They have now won on both sides of Manchester in 2015. Timid on so many trips north, Arsenal finally put their inferiority complex aside. Arsenal's first win at Old Trafford since 2006 was an emphatic, exciting affair. Many snigger when Wenger suggests Arsenal have mental strength. Now it definitely appears to have been an error by Van Gaal. Hindsight was not required to suggest his sale may have been a blunder. Once again, Old Trafford echoed with the sound of Welbeck's name, only this time, it was the gloating Gunners' visiting support. Welbeck accelerated on to it, rounded David de Gea and showed the composure to slot the ball into the net. The makeshift right-back had looked a potential weak link all night. Phil Jones chested the ball to Antonio Valencia. Then came the moment to remember, the time when Welbeck's determination to chase anything and everything brought a reward. Referee Michael Oliver ignored Arsenal's appeals but he did caution Ashley Young when he also opted for an illegal approach to halt Welbeck. Marcos Rojo resorted to tugging Welbeck's shoulder as he raced on to Mesut Ozil's pass in the first half. Perhaps it ought to have given them a penalty, too. That willingness and elusiveness would bring Arsenal the winner. The rationale was probably that employed by Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes in past seasons when they looked for a selfless runner in a major match. His choice of Welbeck, scorer of one goal in his previous 12 games, ahead of Olivier Giroud (who had mustered five in five) may have seemed typically perverse. In the process, Welbeck vindicated Wenger. Though Welbeck has had a slow start to life at Arsenal, he has more goals this season than Falcao, his replacement. What's more, Welbeck took it with assurance. The Englishman may not have been prolific for Arsenal so far, but his eighth goal is twice as many as the unused Radamel Falcao has mustered for United this year. The United manager cited Welbeck's poor scoring record (just 29 in 142 games for his first club) in selling him. That ending may have come as a surprise to Van Gaal. He marked the occasion by scoring the goal that knocked United out of the FA Cup. Danny Welbeck, a Longsight lad, Mancunian and United supporter, led the line for Arsenal on his first return to Old Trafford. One duly started in this occasion, only he was in the Arsenal ranks. It is a source of pride at Manchester United that they have named a product of the club's youth system in the match-day squad for every game since 1937. This was a case of manager Louis van Gaal being punished in spring for his summer mistakes. This was a goal to make them regret, not rejoice. It has happened time and again in the days of Bobby Charlton, George Best, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham, to name but four. Manchester United are used to their homegrown talents delivering valuable winners. Here are three quick observations from Old Trafford. MANCHESTER, England - Goals from Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck were enough to stun Man United 2-1 in their FA Cup sixth-round clash.
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