Arsenal entered their FA Cup clash against Manchester United in shaky form, having failed to win their last two matches against Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Their first-half performance reflected their inconsistency, as they failed to pose any serious attacking threat.

United capitalized on a defensive lapse to score early in the second half. Arsenal appeared to gain the upper hand moments later, with Diogo Dalot receiving a red card. Gabriel Magalhaes redeemed his earlier error by scoring the equalizer, but Arsenal couldn’t find a winner. Martin Ødegaard missed a crucial penalty, and Declan Rice was denied twice by exceptional saves from Altay Bayindir.

Kai Havertz endured a nightmare performance, missing two big chances and a crucial penalty in the shootout. Mikel Merino also struggled, contributing just 30 touches and 14 completed passes before being substituted in the 73rd minute. Merino’s loss of possession and poor dueling (winning only 5 out of 10) further diminished Arsenal’s midfield performance.

Football.london rated Merino’s performance a 5/10, highlighting his lack of influence compared to Rice, who injected more control and nearly scored.

Ahead of Arsenal’s north London derby against Tottenham on Wednesday, manager Mikel Arteta is likely to consider benching Merino in favor of a more reliable midfield option.