Coventry City suffered FA Cup heartbreak on Sunday afternoon but gained plenty of praise for their performance against Manchester United.
The Sky Blues headed to Wembley Stadium with few really backing them to beat United, even with Erik ten Hag’s side blowing hot and cold this season.
United seemed to be coasting to victory as Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes all found the net.
Coventry then launched a quite remarkable comeback with Ellis Simms, Callum O’Hare and Haji Wright all on the scoresheet to turn the gam on its head.
Mark Robins so very nearly won it as Victor Torp’s extra time winner was ruled out for a tight offside, cutting the Coventry celebrations short in brutal fashion.
United went on to win the penalty shootout and book a spot in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City.
It’s difficult to argue that United really deserved to go through after such a stunning second-half collapse and Coventry certainly did themselves proud with their come back.
Arsenal fans on Ben Sheaf
The man to miss a crucial penalty for Coventry was midfielder Ben Sheaf as he ballooned his effort over the crossbar.
Sheaf was devastated as Coventry’s shot at an FA Cup final disappeared, but his performance was hugely impressive.
The Coventry ace has been one of the top midfielders in the Championship this season and is really fulfilling his potential with the Sky Blues.
Sheaf started in the West Ham United ranks before joining Arsenal at the age of just 16.
The 26-year-old managed three first-team appearances for Arsenal but joined Coventry in 2021 after a successful loan spell.
Now blossoming into a fine midfielder, Sheaf has earned praise from plenty of people who watched Sunday’s game.
Arsenal supporters have also moved to praise Sheaf, taking to social media to rave about the former Hale End prospect.
Some even wondered if Sheaf could be brought back to North London to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield ranks having impressed so much against United.
Sheaf stats v Manchester United
Sheaf was a real presence in the Coventry midfield, racking up tour tackles, one clearance and one blocked shot.
On the ball, Sheaf racked up 73 passes and boasted a pass completion percentage of over 90% whilst having 97 touches of the ball.
Sheaf also had four shots as he posed a threat going forward from midfield, really showing his all-round skillset against United.
A return to Arsenal is unlikely given the level Arteta and co want to reach, but Sheaf is proving himself to be ready for a Premier League stint.
Sheaf will surely attract plenty of interest this summer and Arsenal may well face off against him in the top flight soon enough.