FA Cup quarter-final as it happened: Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal

Full time: Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal

Game over at Old Trafford. Arsenal become the second team through to the last four. With that over, head over to our live blog for the semi-final draw.

Arsenal should have it won with a stunning break as Ozil, cuts the ball back to Sanchez and De Gea makes a fine save to keep United in the cup, barely.

Into five added minutes at Old Trafford.

Another United player goes to ground and another yellow card for simulation from Michael Oliver. Adnan Januzaj is the guilty party and it's a horribly delayed stumble to the flood in the penalty area. Great decision.

Lots of credit going the way of Michael Oliver following his dismissal of Angel di Maria. Less than seven minutes of normal time left at Old Trafford and United pushing for an equaliser.

Red card: Angel di Maria (Manchester United)

It goes from bad to worse for United as record signing Di Maria is sent off for the home side after first being booked for diving and then getting a second straight away for pulling the referee Michael Olivier's shirt. That might be that.

Change for Arsenal too as Danny Welbeck is replaced by Olivier Giroud. Has the ex-United man come back to haunt his old club? Cazorla should finish the tie but De Gea makes a fine save to his left.

Alexis Sanchez wins and takes a free-kick from the right corner of the penalty area but De Gea makes a good low save. Adnan Januzaj coming on for the home team now, with Marcos Rojo off.

All United since the goal and they go close again as Young's back post cross finds Fellaini, but Szczesny is equal to his downward header.

Chance for United with 25 minutes remaining. Michael Carrick flicks on a left-sided corner and Smalling sticks out a leg and diverts the ball over the bar.

Hector Bellerin perhaps fortunate to still be on the pitch and Ashley Young skips inside him and is taken down by the youngster. Already booked, referee Olivier decides against a second caution.

Goal: Manchester United 1-2 Arsenal (Danny Welbeck)

Arsenal back in front at Old Trafford and it's the former United man Danny Welbeck with the goal. Antonio Valencia plays a horrid backpass which is short of De Gea and Welbeck nips in, beats the United 'keeper to the ball and slots into an empty net.

Now Ashley Young enters the referee's book as he takes down Danny Welbeck. Plenty of flow lost from this game compared with the opening 45 minutes. Both managers have taken the string out of the game. as I write that Angel di Maria is put through by Fellaini but he shoots wide.

Yellow card for Marouane Fellaini after a succession of fouls, two in a row, in this second half. Michael Olivier has no hesitation. Scrappy game at the moment with an hour played. Will we get a winner?

Arsenal really should be back in front. Chris Smalling miss-controls the ball straight at the feet of Cazorla, who finds Sanchez but his shot is deflected into the arms of De Gea.

Problem for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who has pulled up with a hamstring problem after pulling out a challenge with Marcos Rojo. That will spark a change for the Gunners with Aaron Ramsey coming on. Half chance for United as Wayne Rooney's heads harmlessly wide.

Teams out at Old Trafford and two changes for the home team as Michael Carrick and Phil Jones replace Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera. Arsenal are unchanged. We're back under way in this quarter-final.

Half time: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal

I asked for some entertainment before kick-off and both teams have produced in an engrossing first half. Arsenal led through Nacho Monreal but for just four minutes as Wayne Rooney powered a header beyond Szczesny. Both teams look like adding to their lead at will and the second 45 minutes could be a tasty affair.

Szczesny made a hasty clearance and though the United fans are screaming for a shot from range, the home side build nicely and Fellaini produces a low stop from the Polish international.

A long hopeful ball that doesn't end with Fellaini bringing it down almost ends with a United goal as Valencia chips the ball over Monreal and finds Di Maria, who allows the ball to bounce and forced Szczesny into a good low save at his near post.

Van Gaal's side much improved since their goal, moving the ball faster in attack and they almost find a second when Rooney finds Di Maria who brings it under his spell but has the ball taken off his toes by Koscielny as he goes to pull the trigger.

Yellow card for Angel di Maria for a wild challenge on Alexis Sanchez, who has been a bit quiet in recent minutes when on the ball has caused United some real problem. The results free-kick is right into the arms of De Gea.

Before that Welbeck chance it's arguable that Arsenal should have had a penalty when Marcos Rojo grabbed hold of the England striker, who went sprawling in the United box but had his appeals waved away.

Danny Welbeck almost puts Arsenal back in front as Oxlade-Chamberlain stands up a cross towards the back post and Welbeck heads down but De Gea makes an easy looking save.

Goal: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal (Wayne Rooney)

United react immediately and are level two minutes after Arsenal open the scoring. Di Maria swings a cross in from the right and from point blank range Rooney directs a flying header past Szczesny. Game on.

Goal: Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal (Nacho Monreal)

The Gunners carve United apart and take the lead after 26 minutes. Ozil feeds Oxlade-Chanberlain, who commits four defenders before finding Monreal in yards of space and he tucks the ball beyond his fellow-countryman De Gea.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain wastes a great opening for Arsenal as he is released down the right by Welbeck and United are at sixes and sevens but his cross is chipped rather than driven in towards Ozil and it flies over the bar.

First real chance for United as Di Maria's raking pass is taken down by Fellaini and the Belgian tees up Young, who skews his effort, off balance, high and wide.

Arsenal showing far more urgency in the final third and they should really have a corner when Bellerin ghosts into the United box and his cross-shot is deflected over the bar. No corner given bizarrely but no doubt the away side on top.

First real spell of attacking pressure from united. Smalling finds Fellaini, whose first touch gets him away from Koscielny but he can't gather the ball in with his second and the chance is gone.

United having the possession but it's Arsenal who look the more threatening. Monreal feeds Welbeck on the left but Marcos Rojo makes a fine interception and puts it behind for a corner.

Hector Bellerin yellow carded with less than four minutes on the clock for a foul on Ashley Young. A problem that for the Arsenal full back. Free-kick for United from the left is headed away by Welbeck at the near post.

Early chance for Arsenal. Alexis Sanchez cuts inside Valencia and unleashes a shot which is blocked by Chris Smalling and though Danny Welbeck is in the six yard box, the ball ends up in De Gea's arms.

Under way at Old Trafford, where there is a fine atmosphere with flags being unveiled from all corners.

Teams in the tunnel at Old Trafford. This has the capacity to be either a thriller or a damp squib. Please, please let it be the former.

Despite questions over United's style of play, they have lost just one of their last 10 matches, and two of their previous 27 in all competitions. Arsenal are on a good run too having won six of their last seven leagues games but concerns remain over their ability to win at their main rivals, with the Gunners having lost on nine of their last 10 visits to Old Trafford. A worrying statistic ahead of tonight's visit.

For anyone who did not watch the three FA Cup quarter-finals over the weekend, let me sum them up for you in one word; dull. Bradford and Reading played out a chance-less stalemate, Aston Villa won a bad tempered Midlands derby and Blackburn held off a lifeless Liverpool at Anfield. Only two goals and each game was goalless at half time. Surely, given the attacks on offer at Old Trafford tonight we are in for some entertainment? Yes?

Both teams could see their silverware hopes very much go up in smoke tonight if they are dumped out tonight. United are firmly out of the title race and though Van Gaal has targeted a top four finish, fans will be eager for a return to the winning ways which defined them under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Arsenal might still be in the Champions League but they must repeat a feat which only one other team in the history of the competition has achieved to go through, meaning tonight is essentially make or break for their silverware hopes. The Gunners ended that infamous trophy-barren run in last season's FA Cup and retaining the trophy represents their best chance of repeating that feat.

I mentioned at the top fixtures involving Manchester United against Arsenal are bathed in FA Cup history and that is exactly the case. The pair have met 14 times, twice in the final, with United prevailing seven times, and Arsenal six, with one draw in that semi-final in 1999. United have also won four of the five clashes at home, bar the 2-0 loss in 2003 which was followed by Sir Alex Ferguson kicking a boot at David Beckham. These games rarely go down quietly.

Louis van Gaal is prioritising qualification for the Champions League this season but he makes just one change from the win over Newcastle, which in enforced as the suspended Jonny Evans is replaced by the returning Luke Shaw. Rafael, who has started one match since October, is on the bench as is Radamel Falcao.

Arsene Wenger's side still have an eye on the Champions League last 16 second leg against Monaco next week and on securing third spot in the Premier League and he makes a total of five alterations. Danny Welbeck returns to Old Trafford for the first time since his summer move, while Laurent Koscielny starts for the first time since that harrowing defeat to Monaco. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wojciech Szczesny are also recalled. Olivier Giroud is waiting on the bench.

Teams:

Manchester United v Arsenal

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling, Rojo, Shaw, Blind, Herrera, Di Maria, Fellaini, Young, Rooney.

Arsenal: Szczesny, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ozil, Alexis, Welbeck

Three games. Two goals. Two pitches invasions. Two imminent replays. Only one team in the semi-final. The first three quarter-finals in the FA Cup might have been dour affairs but tonight we have a game which could illuminate both the competition and the season. Manchester United and Arsenal are steeped in FA Cup history, having both won the competition a record 11 occasions while their head-to-head clashes have been among the most memorable in the competition's history. Tonight will all-but end one teams' hopes of winning a major trophy while the victor will reach a season-defining Wembley semi-final. Put simply, it's a mammoth clash.