What’s the deal with the FA Cup and Manchester United? Regardless of how poorly this squad performs or how much luck they require, United is managing to maintain their place in the previous tournament.
The 13-time champions won the cup once more last season thanks to their thrilling victories over Liverpool and Coventry City.
After a shootout victory over Arsenal in the third round with ten men and a penalty save by No. 2 goalkeeper Altay Bayindir in normal time, the holders are clinging to it this time.
For over an hour at Old Trafford Friday night, it appeared as though United was being foolish by not signing a striker during the transfer market.
Ruben Amorim had discussed the “risk” of letting Marcus Rashford sign a loan deal with Aston Villa ahead of schedule without bringing in a replacement, and it seemed like it was going to blow up in his face.
United was just terrible, especially during the stale first half when they failed to score and fell behind a struggling Leicester team in the Premier League.
Then, at halftime, Amorim brought in Alejandro Garnacho, who energized his squad and created an equalizer for Joshua Zirkzee, another substitute.
Harry Maguire, a former Leicester player who joined United for £80 million in 2019, headed a thrilling winner in the final three minutes added on by referee Michael Salisbury as we were still on the verge of extra time and another shootout.
When a flick from Garnacho struck James Justin’s elbow at close quarters with little a second to react, the decision to penalize him for handball felt extremely severe, which is one reason it was a sickener for Leicester. Where was his arm supposed to go?
Maguire was one of four United players in offside positions when Bruno Fernandes arrowed the ball into the Leicester penalty area. Maguire arrived on the edge of the six-yard box to plant a header past Mads Hermansen, but the free kick way out on the touchline in front of the dugouts didn’t appear to be very dangerous.
If VAR had only been in use, it would have definitely detected the offsides even though it might not have reversed the handball.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, the manager of Leicester, was understandably furious. This goal would have felt like a stab to the heart of the former United striker, who has witnessed his share of late goals at Old Trafford.
Even Amorim was unable to overreact. “Fergie time has nothing to do with this game,” he declared. “I can’t concentrate on saving the season with a cup; that’s not how I view Manchester United or football.” It’s not good enough right now, and I care about the present. It was not a good day today.
The sight of United must be boring to Leicester. After losing here in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup, this was their second cup exit and their third loss at Old Trafford this season.
In both of those matches, Van Nistelrooy served as United’s temporary manager; however, he was judged unnecessary when Amorim brought his own backroom staff from Sporting Lisbon in November.
Amorim’s record of eight losses in 20 games and, to be fair, his own at Leicester, which now stands at nine losses in 13 games, compare favorably with the Dutchman’s four-game winning streak, which includes three victories. However, for a considerable amount of time last night, it appeared as though he would get the last laugh.
Four minutes before halftime, Bobby De Cordova-Reid gave Leicester the lead after Jordan Ayew had previously given them two opportunities.
United’s recent acquisition The ball landed to Manuel Ugarte, who attempted but was unable to keep it away from Boubakary Soumare after Patrick Dorgu headed it to Hermansen’s punt upfield.
Bilal El Khannouss was given it, and after racing past Leny Yoro, he squared a pass to Wilfred Ndidi inside the box.
Andre Onana stopped the Leicester captain’s side-footed attempt, but De Cordova-Reid, who was in the six-yard box between Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui, was the first to react and tip home.
Despite the odd choice to start him on the right rather than the left, Dorgu was one of United’s better players on his debut after joining from Lecce for £29.4 million. However, at halftime, he was replaced by Garnacho, which completely changed the game.
As the Old Trafford crowd erupted in a song of “attack, attack, attack,” and the TV cameras captured Sir Alex Ferguson dozing off in the director’s box, Amorim once again acknowledged that putting Kobbie Mainoo in an advanced role had not worked. Zirkzee followed after the hour mark.
When Garnacho was released by Ugarte and sprinted clear into the box in the 65th minute, United came dangerously close to equalizing. United’s first on-target goal of the game came via a touch on Wout Faes’ shot, which lifted the ball over Hermansen and toward the goal.
But Caleb Okoli returned in time, and his errant clearing bounced off the bar’s bottom and into Hermansen’s arms.
However, Garnacho’s contribution to the goal three minutes and thirty-five seconds after Zirkzee’s introduction ended Leicester’s brief reprieve.
After being supplied down the left by Yoro, the Argentina winger sprinted past De Cordova-Reid and squared. Faes blocked Rasmus Hojlund’s attempted flick, which fortunately fell to Zirkzee to fire home.
Maguire’s brutal winner set the stage for United to almost escape defeat once more. That currently makes it eight straight FA Cup victories. Even if they can be really awful, it can require a unique combination to get them to stop.