Danny Welbeck on reception at Old Trafford: 'I'm thankful for that'

It can't be easy for a footballer to knock his boyhood club out of the FA Cup, but that's exactly what Danny Welbeck did by scoring a 61st-minute winner in Arsenal's 2-1 win at Manchester United on Monday.

Welbeck, who spent 15 years at Old Trafford after joining United at the age of eight, was sold by Louis van Gaal last summer. However, his name was cheered when the starting XIs were read out ahead of kickoff, and he received an excellent reception upon being substituted after scoring the second-half winner.

"Manchester United is a club that means so much to me," Welbeck said, according to the Guardian. "I'm a fan and it's hard to knock them out. I was just doing my job. It was about being professional, keeping my focus and motivation. I kept plugging away and then got on the end of Antonio Valencia's backpass, beat David de Gea and got the winning goal."

He continued: "I'll always respect the fans. I had a lovely reception from them and I'm thankful for that."

Arsenal will take on either Bradford City or Reading in the FA Cup semifinals as they look to retain their title.