A seven-goal thriller ended with Manchester United scripting a famous win over their rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at Old Trafford. The Red Devils came back not once but twice from a goal down to win it in extra time. With this loss, Liverpool’s dream of winning the quadruple is over.
United, on the other hand, will face Championship side Coventry City in the semi-final, giving them a good chance of qualifying for the final and possibly winning their first trophy under Ten Hag.
So, here are the four takeaways from the game.
Substitutes decide the fate of the game
One of Erik Ten Hag’s major criticisms has been his woeful record in using his substitutes. However, against Liverpool, Erik Ten Hag played all his cards right. Two of his substitutes scored two goals, including the winner. Others, such as Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen, kept things ticking in defense and midfield, respectively.
Amad Diallo was perhaps the pick of the substitutes who scored the winner after an inch-perfect shot in the bottom right corner past Caoimhin Kelleher. Ten Hag’s relationship with players like Jadon Sancho was a central talking point this season over his man-management skills.
So, this victory will be a significant relief for the Dutchman.
Manchester United show never say die attitude
For years, Manchester United fans had the privilege of witnessing the famous ‘Fergie Time’ when they would come back by scoring late goals. Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson left, however, United have more often been on the receiving end of this phenomenon.
However, on Sunday, United rediscovered their comeback mojo. When they scored the opening goal before letting in two, there was a feeling of deja vu, as the Red Devils had repeatedly started the game brilliantly before fizzling out.
This time, though, United kept coming back, and in the end, this never-say-die mentality (which, ironically, Liverpool are famously known for) helped them script a historic win.
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Manchester United’s inconsistency cost them the season
The season has been the epitome of frustration for Manchester United as, time and again, they have not performed to their standards. However, against Liverpool, the Red Devils came out all guns blazing as they went toe-to-toe with Jurgen Klopp’s men.
We must also remember this was a Liverpool team that had dominated Manchester City and decimated Sparta Prague in the last seven days. However, even though United delivered one of their best performances this season even then, United had several moments where they were very ordinary.
They outscored Liverpool 27-25 on shots, the most Klopp’s men have conceded this season in the FA Cup. The game showed that United, on their day, can even beat the top teams.
However, they will need to be far more consistent to ensure that they find themselves in a far stronger situation.
Liverpool falter when it mattered
Jurgen Klopp’s dream of a quadruple was over in perhaps one of the worst fashions as Liverpool snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Reds had plenty of opportunities in the second half to run away with the game. They had 59 per cent of possession and made 206 passes more than their opposition. This domination helped them create loads of good scoring chances, but the Reds missed them again and again. In fact, the last save Onana made was in the 65th minute of the game.
In the end, it came back to haunt them, as United came back down not once but three times. Liverpool’s season is far from over after this loss, and they could still salvage it if they win the league and the Europa League. However, this performance has given other teams a blueprint on how to combat Liverpool’s high press.