Well-beaten by Welbeck: Danny boy comes of age on his return to Manchester

COMMENT: The United academy graduate was deemed surplus to requirements but his runs and overall energy would have benefited Van Gaal's side, even if the Dutchman thinks otherwise
  
Danny Welbeck grew up just three miles from here dreaming of hearing his name ring around this famous stadium after scoring a winning goal.

But the Manchester United academy product won’t have expected it to be like this.

As he was substituted 16 minutes from time, Welbeck’s name was sung loud and proud by the army of 9,000 Arsenal supporters, while many home fans booed the boy from Longsight with venom.

Perhaps in one sense the United support were voicing their displeasure about the sale last summer of one of their brightest local prospects to a rival club.

Maybe they were angry that Welbeck had celebrated after scoring the goal that put Arsenal 2-1 up and booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals as they look to retain their trophy. United were sunk by Welbeck’s strike just after the hour mark after the £16 million striker latched on to Antonio Valencia’s horrific backpass, rounded David De Gea and slotted into an empty net.

Arsenal had opened the scoring through Nacho Monreal’s strike at the end of a fine team move before Wayne Rooney equalised shortly afterwards with a header from a fine Angel Di Maria cross – a rare moment of quality from the hosts.

But Di Maria ended up watching the game from the United dressing room after he was sent-off for two bookings in the space of 30 seconds: a dive and a grab on the referee. It summed up an evening for United in which nothing went right.

Di Maria was the poster boy of United’s £150m summer spending splurge that was supposed to set them up to win trophies again following the David Moyes disaster. But as Louis van Gaal sat glumly in the dugout for most of the match, before putting in a rare appearance in his technical area, he might have wondered whether he will still be in the job next season if United are unable to hold their nerve in the Premier League and finish in the top four this season.

With Tottenham and Liverpool up next, they cannot afford a repeat performanceMost likely, the United fans were fed up with yet another pedestrian performance from their team
    How United could have done with some of Welbeck’s energy and urgency in the final third during the second half, when they failed to play with any penetration.

His speed and movement troubled United’s disorganised and vulnerable defence on a nervy evening for Chris Smalling, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones. The hosts' back four were spared an embarrassing scoreline by several fine saves from De Gea in goal, particularly to keep out strikes from Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez.

Welbeck was sold to make way for Radamel Falcao, another galactico signing who has scored just four goals in 20 appearances and was an unused substitute here for the second match in a row.

As Falcao and Juan Mata sat on the bench for the full game, United’s brilliant supporters watched Van Gaal’s men aimlessly, desperately smash long balls towards Marouane Fellaini in search of an equaliser.

Van Gaal’s philosophy is based around keeping the ball, but for United’s 58 per cent possession the Dutchman was out-thought by Arsene Wenger as Arsenal defended diligently and looked dangerous on the counter-attack.

There is no point in dominating possession if it’s this sterile, if there is so little quality around the edge of the opponents’ penalty area despite a star-studded squad at his disposal.

Surely there is a balance to find between playing in a manner that goes nowhere and a Plan B of punting hopeful long passes towards the biggest man in the squad.

At half-time Van Gaal substituted Ander Herrera – a player who at least looks to play ambitious forward passes – and kept on the predictable, one-paced Daley Blind.

It made little sense and it backfired, just as the decision to sell Welbeck last summer came back to bite his boyhood club as he secured only a second win in 16 matches in all competitions for Arsenal against United.

It may not have been the way he used to dream about it, but Welbeck had made his point to United.