Mikel Arteta will have to deal with ANOTHER new ball in Man United FA Cup clash - days after Arsenal boss bizarrely blamed the one used in Carabao Cup tie vs Newcastle as a reason for their defeat
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Arsenal will have to deal with another new ball in their FA Cup tie against Manchester United on Sunday, days after boss Mikel Arteta's bizarre excuses about the one used in their defeat by Newcastle. The Gunners were beaten 2-0 by the Magpies in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at the Emirates on Tuesday as the in-form Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon got on the scoresheet.
![[The Gunners lost 2-0 to the Magpies and Arteta pointed to the ball as a reason for their loss]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/16/93921617-14267647-image-a-2_1736441877319.jpg)
Arsenal dominated much of the clash, but were toothless in attack, with the Gunners mustering 23 shots, yet just three of these were on target. And, speaking after the game, Arteta bizarrely brought up the match ball when breaking down his side's defeat.
![[A special ball will be used to celebrate the fact that United are current holders of the FA Cup]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/17/93922281-14267647-image-a-6_1736442019588.jpg)
He said: ‘We also kicked a lot of balls over the bar, and it's tricky that these balls fly a lot so there’s details that we can do better. ‘But at the end that’s gone, there’s no way back (and) it's about the next game and that’s our world, the reality.’.
![[The ball is slightly different to the usual one used, with it set to have gold accents across it]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/17/93922277-14267647-The_ball_is_slightly_different_to_the_usual_one_used_with_it_set-a-9_1736442079059.jpg)
Arsenal will have to deal with another ball in their FA Cup tie against Man United on Sunday, days after boss Mikel Arteta's bizarre excuses about the one used in their defeat by Newcastle. The Gunners lost 2-0 to the Magpies and Arteta pointed to the ball as a reason for their loss.
![[United beat arch-rivals Man City 2-1 in the FA Cup final at the end of the 2023-24 season]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/17/93921533-14267647-image-a-7_1736442034109.jpg)
A special ball will be used to celebrate the fact that United are current holders of the FA Cup. When pressed further on the issue, Arteta added: 'No, it's just different. It's very different to the Premier League ball and you have to adapt to that. 'It flies different... when you touch it, the grip is very different as well so you have to adapt to that.'.
