There was none of that decorum nonsense from Danny Welbeck. When he scored the goal that knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup he knew exactly what to do. He partied, like it was 1999.
Not the full shirt off Ryan Giggs perhaps, but a joyful outpouring of emotion and energy at what once was his theatre of dreams. No more. United sold Welbeck to Arsenal in the summer and manager Louis van Gaal had some rather brutal observations about the decision. 'A substitute, not a line-up player,' was Van Gaal's explanation for Welbeck's departure. 'I don't have to prove I was right – if that was not a good enough reason, then I'm not a good manager.'
Welbeck will loved answering that last part, chiselling away at the rapidly emerging cracks in Van Gaal's regime. Barring the greatest comeback since Carrie, Manchester United will not win a trophy this season. It will be the first time they have gone two campaigns without a major prize since 1988-89, and with good reason.
Humiliated in the Capital One Cup by Milton Keynes Dons, they are riding their luck in the Premier League and lost to the better team here. Arsenal deserved this. They played the faster, finer football and United's howls of fury at referee Michael Oliver were misdirected. Angel di Maria had to go – for diving and then manhandling the official in protest – and Adnan Januzaj's simulation with five minutes remaining was worse. The best two saves of the night were from Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea. Arsenal's first win at Old Trafford since 2006 was justice done.
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