Gary Lineker calls for FA Cup rule change after watching Man Utd beat Arsenal

Gary Lineker believes FA Cup ties should not go to extra-time following Manchester United's penalty shootout victory against Arsenal on Sunday.

The oldest national football competition in the world showcased its vitality during the latest third-round ties. Ruben Amorim's FA Cup-holding Red Devils ousted Mikel Arteta's Gunners from the competition via penalties, while non-league Tamworth put up a brave fight in their 3-0 defeat by Tottenham in two thrilling clashes on Sunday afternoon.

However, this round was not without controversy. This year marked the first time that replays were not held as usual, following an announcement by the FA in April last year - a decision that was met with disapproval. Lineker now believes that if replays have been abolished, then the 30 minutes of extra time that follow a level tie should also be removed.

"We still have extra time. Personally, I think if they're going to take away replays, they should take away extra-time," Lineker stated on The Rest Is Football podcast.

"Because otherwise, it really favours the strong teams - because they've got bigger squads, and they can put on their best players in extra-time like Spurs did [against Tamworth]. And they went on to win."

Ange Postecoglou's team were frustrated by their lower-league opponents, failing to secure a win within the regulatory 90 minutes on Sunday.

Extra time saw the game change dramatically following the introduction of Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski, who helped turn the tide in favour of the Premier League side.

"So, I think that's unfair," Lineker remarked. "If they're gonna do away with replays - which I think to be honest, as much as it's a shame - they need to find another way of supporting teams from lower