Manchester United ended Liverpool’s quadruple hopes with a remarkable 4-3 extra-time win at Old Trafford in the FA Cup, thanks to Amad’s 120th minute winner.
The young winger has made little impact during an injury hit season back at the club this term, but he stole the headlines with an extra-time winner – before being sent off for his celebration – after a breathtaking game.
Scott McTominay gave United an early lead only for Liverpool to turn it round before half-time thanks to Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah. That looked set to be enough for Jurgen Klopp’s side, until Antony struck a late equaliser.
Marcus Rashford should have won it with the last kick of the game, stroking wide when clean through, and he’d have been left devastated after Harvey Elliott put Liverpool ahead in extra-time.
But Rashford made amends, a fine finish into the bottom corner making it 3-3, before, with penalties looming, Alejandro Garnacho broke clear and fed Amad, who struck in pff the post to send United to Wembley and keep their trophy hopes alive.
Here are EIGHT talking points from Old Trafford…
1. United’s fast start
With the two sides experiencing very different fortunes in the Premier League this season, Roy Keane said pre-game: “ Liverpool are in a better place right now, they’ve got better players. United’s star players have to perform – [Marcus] Rashford, [Bruno] Fernandes – that’s why they’re playing for Manchester United. You have to turn up for the big games.”
Certainly, from the off, United’s players did just that. Ten Hag’s side tore into Liverpool early doors, attacking with the kind of speed and incision that’s been all too often lacking this season. McTominay’s early goal was just reward for a flying start where they created goalscoring opportunities, caused the visitors numerous problems and got the home support right behind them.
Their first half display, arguably, was as good as anything we’ve seen from the Red Devils for some time. All you can do is question why?
2. Double punishment
Because, at half-time, United went in behind.
For all their hard work and moments of exceptional play, Ten Hag’s side just remain too open and give up too many damn shots. They’ve given up more 20+ shot matches to opponents this season than Klopp’s Liverpool have during the German’s entire tenure at Anfield!
Gradually, as the opening half wore on, the opportunities that came Liverpool’s way got better and better. United can’t say they weren’t warned when Wataru Endo’s apparent equaliser was ruled out for a tight offside in the build up against Salah.
What happened next was somewhat indicative of United’s season. Jarrell Quansah strode forwards, approached the penalty area after dancing past a few challenges, and eventually the ball found its way to Mac Allister who, albeit aided by a deflection, found the net.
And then in injury time, Fernandes went down appealing for a foul, didn’t get it, Liverpool had an overload on the left with Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, the latter’s shot was saved and Salah turned in the rebound.
It was little wonder a delighted Klopp ran down the touchline with a beaming smile on his face at the break.
3. Mo’s magnificent record and Klopp’s risk
“Mo is pure quality,” said Klopp ahead of the game. “Ask him what he likes most about Man United…”
The indication from the Kop boss was clear. Salah’s record for Liverpool against United is second to none.
He arrived at Old Trafford with 12 goals in 13 games against them during his time with the Merseysiders – both a club record and more than he’s scored against any other team – and left with another to his name.
Ten Hag tried Aaron Wan-Bissaka at left back to contain the Egyptian. It didn’t work, the United man unsure of his distances, whether to get tight to Salah or stay closer to his centre-halves. In the end, he didn’t really do either.
But Klopp took him off at 2-1 here in the 78th minute. Was it complacency from the Liverpool boss? Did he think it was job done?
You can only assume Salah isn’t yet ready for a full 90 minutes (or more) and that he needed to be protected. It goes without saying that his return to full fitness is a huge boost to their title and European hopes. But perhaps it was an error to take him out here because without his drive, Liverpool lacked that really killer instinct. And paid the price.
4. The Garnacho conundrum
Alejandro Garnacho is one of the few Manchester United players to really enhance their reputation this season. But the young Argentine’s growth into an increasingly important first-team player has presented Ten Hag with a new – albeit familiar – conundrum.
Rasmus Hojlund has been signed to play as the No.9 and Rashford prefers to start out on the left and work in from there. The gap which continues to need filling is on the right, a position which has been something of a poisoned chalice in recent seasons; Jadon Sancho never made it his own and Antony has struggled.
So Garnacho started there here. But, like Rashford – and admittedly Sancho – he prefers to play from the left. And, in all honesty, his game is greatly enhanced when he plays from the left, with his ability to work both ways, run in behind and drive in-field onto his favoured right foot. Down the right, he gets a little lost.
The moment he swapped flanks in the second half – with Hojlund off and Rashford through the middle – he had a much bigger impact on proceedings, and was a driving force in United both getting back into things and then winning it – his display ultimately culminating with the sensational driving run in the 120th minute that teed up Amad’s winner.
If he’s giving United so much more down the left, they can’t afford to keep sticking him over on the right, especially when we aren’t seeing Rashford’s best often enough.
Speaking of Antony….
5. The standing foot at last!
The joke, unsurprisingly, is that Antony only uses his right foot for standing on. That the £86million Brazilian is this generation’s Arjen Robben (like a 10p on the pound version), always wanting to cut in from his perch on the right side to shoot with his left foot.
Well, when he found himself engulfed in the centre of the Liverpool penalty area, back to goal, he had only one way to turn. And he had only one option – to go for it with the swinger.
Sometimes, your luck’s in.
It was just reward for Ten Hag’s adventurous use of subs (granted it was kind of required) and for Garnacho’s endless running.
6. Oh, Marcus
The run was excellent. The first touch was velvet. The goal was gaping. The hero had been decided. The season’s issues forgotten. The semi-finals and Wembley awaiting. The 94th minute. The final kick of the game, no Liverpool player able to stop him. The homegrown star having the final say.
But instead, Rashford slid it agonisingly wide.
On his knees, his scream to the heavens told the story.
7. Rashford’s response
He could have won it. He easily could have dropped his head and hidden during extra-time.
Instead, Rashford got on with it. He rolled up his sleeves and looked hell bent on rectifying his wrong. And after Elliott’s strike found the bottom corner and looked like winning it for the visitors, he made amends.
It was an unerring, excellent finish, effortlessly stroking home on the run past Caiomhin Kelleher to make it 3-3 and keep United’s hopes alive. We haven’t seen that kind of finishing enough from Rashford this season, but if he can manage it a few more times in the coming months, it would be very handy – both for Ten Hag, and potentially, England.
8. Amad’s cameo
He came. He saw. He conquered. He got sent off. He goes down in history as the match winner.
Some return from a young man who, due to injuries, has been largely forgotten this season.
This goal was about desire. When Garnacho picked up the ball and launched a counter, Amad could have watched. But he made the lung-bursting run to keep pace over 70-plus yards and then, when played in, had the composure to finish.
“I think it’s the best goal of my career,” declared Amad. He’s not wrong.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
