“Save the season” Erik ten Hag had said, well Manchester United certainly dug deep to do just that. Old Trafford witnessed an FA Cup quarter-final for the ages with the beleaguered hosts advancing against the odds.
United may have been ahead early through Scott McTominay, but Liverpool were the better team after that with goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah (his 13th in 14 games against United) turning this tie around.
Yet, there was so much more to come. An equaliser from Antony, of all people, just his second of the season, took it into extra time and the two teams exchanged goals courtesy of Harvey Elliott and Marcus Rashford in the extra 30 minutes.
But it was Amad Diallo who proved the winner with his goal right at the death to send the home crowd into a frenzy and seal a thrilling cup tie. The substitute was sent off for a second bookable offence after removing his shirt but exited down the tunnel like a rockstar leaving the stage.
The 12-time winners of this competition will face Coventry City next month in what will be a record 32nd semi-final for the Manchester club.
This was an absorbing 120 minutes of FA Cup action and, ultimately, United’s silverware hopes live on, their season extended and this could prove to be a pivotal afternoon in Ten Hag’s reign. A big win in this competition has been decisive for previous United managers after all.
Meanwhile, this marked the end of Liverpool’s quest for a Quadruple. There will be no final stop at Wembley on Jurgen Klopp’s farewell tour; it will ranker how this tie got away from his team but maintaining a fight on so many fronts did look unsustainable given their stretched resources.
They have already bagged a piece of silverware, and remain in contention for two others, but it will be United who go on in the FA Cup and have reached successive semi-finals. Few who were present will forget how they managed it.
Story of the game
There was no escaping the importance of this game, and particularly for United. Knowing that their hunt for silverware would be over with a loss, the final few months of the campaign would be a little uncomfortable for Ten Hag with the club’s new owners appraising the situation.
A bright start from the hosts, featuring a curled effort from Rashford that was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher, was rewarded after 10 minutes. Rashford slid the ball into the path of Alejandro Garnacho and although Kelleher saved his left-footed shot, McTominay beat Mac Allister to the rebound and tapped home. The Scot’s ninth goal of the season ignited this compelling contest.
United maintained their threat. Andy Robertson slid in to muffle Garnacho’s shot and McTominay met Rashford’s pull-back first time after Kobbie Mainoo had danced down the left but the Liverpool ‘keeper was there to claim.
Liverpool did get in behind the United backline. Salah volleyed narrowly wide, Robertson blazed over, Dominik Szoboszlai saw a shot claimed by Andre Onana and the United goalkeeper also swatted away a Luis Diaz drive at the near post.
An entertaining cup tie played to a lively soundtrack from the terraces was spun on it’s head as half-time loomed. Liverpool were breaching United’s defence too easily and thought they had an equaliser when Wataru Endo swept home Salah’s cross only for it to be disallowed for offside.
United did not heed that warning and, in the 44th minute, Jarell Quansah strode forward before passing to Darwin Nunez in the penalty area. He laid it off for Mac Allister who took a touch before firing a shot that deflected off Mainoo and flew between Onana and his near post.
The turnaround was complete two minutes into stoppage time when the ball was hoisted towards Diaz and he played it onto Nunez. A blast of a shot was saved by Onana but Salah was there to slam the rebound in off the post. The 9,000-strong Liverpool following were delirious in the East Stand.
It had been too easy for Liverpool to score twice in quick succession when United should surely have been seeing their lead through to the break.
Nunez tried to sneak a shot in at the front post straight after the restart but Onana was able to gather. The Cameroonian also did well to push away another ferocious drive from the Uruguayan and save Szoboszlai’s attempt.
Mac Allister’s whipped free-kick onto the roof of the net had Onana scrambling too as Klopp’s team sought a third. All United could muster was a Bruno Fernandes cross that went unmet.
As the tempo dropped, changes came for both sides; and it was the arrival of Antony that proved cathartic for the hosts.
The stadium clock showed 87 minutes when Garnacho returned Antony’s pass and the Brazilian spun between Liverpool defenders before finding the bottom corner with a well-placed finish. Parity had unexpectedly been restored.
Opportunities for both teams came before the end of regulation time. Elliott lifted a shot that struck the woodwork and Rashford, picked out by Christian Eriksen, slotted wide when one-on-one with Kelleher.
Extra-time started with Antony slipping whilst shooting and sending the ball just over the crossbar. Victor Lindelof also hammered a shot into the side-netting, but it was Liverpool who regained the upper hand.
A throw-in went to Connor Bradley and the substitute did well to bring the ball infield and pass to Elliott. The 20-year-old took aim with his left foot and a clip off Eriksen’s boot took the shot into the far corner.
Yet, United would respond again. They won the ball back and McTominay calmly sent it through to Rashford and this time he made no mistake and rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
United would score a last-gasp winner. From a Liverpool corner, Elliott lost possession and Garnacho was able to run free with only Bradley back for the visitors. Amad received the pass and fired a low shot across Kelleher into the far corner to seal a memorable win.
