Man Utd 1 - Arsenal 2: Welbeck haunts Red Devils to fire Gunners to FA Cup semi-finals

THEY say revenge is a dish best served cold – and it is even better when humble pie is on the menu.

Danny Welbeck slides home Arsenal’s second goal of the eveningSTUART ROBINSON

Danny Welbeck slides home Arsenal’s second goal of the evening

Danny Welbeck has kept his own counsel since Louis Van Gaal said he didn't score enough goals to warrant a regular place in his Manchester United team and sold him to Arsenal at the start of the season.

Last night Van Gaal was probably regretting both his decision and those words as Welbeck ended his hopes of landing a trophy in his first season as United boss and kept the Gunners on course for back-to-back FA Cup triumphs.

With a pulsating quarter-final tie delicately balanced, Welbeck cashed in on a dreadful error by Antonio Valencia to score the 61st minute winner.

And to add to United's frustration they had Angel Di Maria sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute.

The Argentina international was so incensed by referee Michael Oliver's decision to caution him for simulation that he tugged at the official's shirt in protest and was promptly given a second yellow and his marching orders.

Earlier Di Maria had supplied the cross for Wayne Rooney to head home United's equaliser three minutes after Nacho Monreal had put the Gunners ahead.

Monreal opened the scoring for the visitorsSTUART ROBINSON

Nacho Monreal opened the scoring for the visitors

But Welbeck's second half goal was enough to give Arsenal their first win at Old Trafford since September 2006 – they had lost nine and drawn one of their previous 10 visits.

And after so many nightmares on both sides of Manchester in recent years, this win completed a notable double for them, following their 2-0 Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium in January.

Arsene Wenger's smile at the final whistle said it all. His side deserved their victory and only two brilliant second half saves from David De Gea, first from Santi Cazorla and then late on from Alexis Sanchez, prevented an even bigger winning margin.

Van Gaal's worry now is the psychological effect this defeat will have on United's bid to secure a top four finish and return to the Champions League.

On this display, the Gunners look a better bet and United's need to pick themselves up quickly for the visit of Tottenham, also rivals for a top four position, on Sunday.

This tie rubbished the perceived wisdom is that games between these clubs in recent years have lacked the fire and brimstone of the clashes in late 1990s and early 2000s when United and Arsenal were the dominant teams in English football.

It was played at a relentless pace and intensity - and ended up producing more goals than the other three quarter-final ties put together.

Wayne Rooney did equalise for United but it couldn't stop the Red Devils slumping to defeatSTUART ROBINSON

Wayne Rooney did equalise for United but it couldn't stop the Red Devils slumping to defeat

Arsenal took the lead after 26 minutes after Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain carved open United's defence.

After taking the ball from Ozil, Oxlade-Chamberlain eluded four United players on a mazy run to find Monreal with so much time and space that he was able to take a touch before firing past De Gea from close range.

But United took only three minutes to draw level with Rooney powering home a header from Di Maria's cross from the right that eluded Laurent Koscielny.

United made two half-time substitutions, Michael Carrick and Phil Jones replacing Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw.

The Gunners were forced into a change early in the second half with Aaron Ramsey replacing the injured Oxlade-Chamberlain. But the changes didn't reduce the tempo.

As in the first half, Arsenal were first to threaten after the break when Cazorla robbed Chris Smalling and set up Sanchez but his shot took a deflection off and De Gea was able to save.

United responded and Di Maria sent a shot just wide after being sent clear by Marouane Fellaini but their defence had lived dangerously and Valencia's error gifted Arsenal their second goal just after the hour mark.

After Jones had chested down Szczesny's long clearance kick, Valencia under cooked his intended back pass to De Gea who was beaten to the ball by Welbeck as he raced out of his area with the former Untied striker left with a simple task of tapping into an empty net for his eighth goal of the season – and by far the most important.

United's frustration had been rising with cautions for Fellaini and Young before the goal.

Rojo joined them in the book for a scything tackle on Cazorla but worse was to follow when referee Oliver booked Di Maria for a dive and then sent him off after he grabbed his shirt as he argued his case.

United's play was desperate rather than creative with Arsenal always looking the more thoughtful side.

And the Gunners almost had a third which would have underlined their superiorty but De Gea got his fingers to Sanchez's shot.

Van Gaal embarrassment was completed when he resorted to throwing Smalling up front alongside Fellaini to try and rescue the game.

No wonder Wenger – not to mention Welbeck – was smiling.

MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Rojo (Januzaj 73), Shaw (Jones 46); Herrera (Carrick 46), Blind; Di Maria, Fellaini, Young; Rooney. Booked: Herrera, Fellaini, Young, Rojo, Di Maria, Januzaj. Sent off: Di Maria 77. Goal: Rooney 29.

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Bellerin (Chambers 66), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin, Cazorla; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Ramsey 51), Sanchez, Ozil; Welbeck (Giroud 74). Booked: Bellerin, Ramsey. Goals: Monreal 25, Welbeck 61.

Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland).

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?