MAN UTD 2 LEICESTER CITY 1
Controversy surrounded Harry Maguire’s dramatic injury-time winner for Manchester United against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City.
Replays revealed Maguire was clearly offside – there is no VAR in Emirates FA Cup ties until the fifth round – and United had enjoyed a huge slice of good fortune with Foxes’ manager Ruud van Nistelrooy saying they were not beaten in Fergie time but ‘offside time’.
There were collective signs of relief around Old Trafford how the Reds fought back and also to be spared an extra 30 minutes on a bitingly cold night.
United were once again far from convincing and fell behind to a goal late in the opening half from Bobby De Cordova-Reid, once a loanee at nearby Oldham Athletic.
The Reds desperately needed a spark and head coach Ruben Amorim sent on Alejandro Garnacho who provided the missing spark.
The young Argentine, whose future at Old Trafford looks in some doubt, helped set up the equaliser for Joshua Zirkzee, another substitute.
Then in the third and final minute of stoppage time, Maguire stole in at the far post to head home Bruno Fernandes’ free kick.
Amorim said: “Today the feeling is that we won, and the fans went home happy – they helped us.
“We showed confidence, spirit, energy and had more second balls in the second half, but we have a lot to improve.
“It must have been hard [for Leicester] to lose to a last-minute offside goal and sometimes you deserve a little luck.
“We had to believe until the end, but this game has nothing to do with the time of Fergie. I think the performance, we have to do so much better with the ball, without the ball.
“We didn’t have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first half. Then in the second half we played a little bit better, with a little more speed, winning second balls. Then we managed to turn things around, so it was a good result not a good performance.
“The coach is the first responsible, when one team doesn’t perform, doesn’t improve, it is the coach but we are here to do things and to see the game, to study the game and try to improve for the next game.
“I think it’s the small things, if you see the games sometimes it’s to control the ball, to have the ball, don’t give the ball away in the first pressure. It’s the small things, it’s the big things, it’s everything.
“It’s this moment, it’s hard away but especially at home but we have to cope with that and we will try to do it next game.”
Amorim praised his super sub, saying: “I want players like Alejandro Garnacho with runs behind when out opponent was getting tired in the second half in one-on-one situations.
“I am very happy with him. He helped us a lot today.”
Maguire admitted, despite claiming a place in the last 16, that there is scope for improvement, saying: “A great finish to the game. The second half we played a lot better. The first half was nowhere near good enough, we played at a slow tempo, and we didn’t really get going. We probably deserved to go into half time losing.
“I think the second half we came out a lot bigger tempo, we dominated the game, and it really felt like we were going to get that winner, it would fall to us and thankfully, I put it in the back of the net.
“I think he [ Garnacho] made a big impact, he always does that when he comes off the bench, so credit to him, he’s ready, he’s focused. We knew at half-time he’d bring a little more direct and pace into the team.”
Van Nistelrooy added: “We are not defeated in Fergie time, we are defeated in offside time.
Embed from Getty Images“This wasn’t necessary. VAR you have in a couple centimetres, a couple of inches, this was half a metre, clear in line. That was a hard one to take because the team deserves to draw in the end. Then extra time, stay in the game you, never know what happens.
“It was a very good team performance, started really well, pressing United. On the ball very stable. Deserved to go 1-0 up at half-time. Of course, we know in the second half they’re going to put some pressure on us and some chances but not even that much.
“We deserved to go into extra time, go for the battle in extra time and maybe penalties.
“Decisions like these in our level are hard to swallow.”
Amorim handed a debut to January signing Patrick Dorgu at left wing-back.
His inclusion was one of two changes with Rasmus Hojlund replacing Garnacho in attack. Ayden Heaven, another January signing, was on the bench.
Wilfred Ndidi started for Leicesteras he made his first appearance since December 8 after recovering from injury.
The midfielder captained the Foxes, coming in for Harry Winks.
It was a decidedly low-key opening as, after quarter of the match, there had been only two serious goal attempts.
Leicester’s Jordan Ayew’s drive was straight at Andre Onana while a shot on the run from Dorgu was rising as it cleared the crossbar.
De Cordova-Reid saw an angled shot clear the crossbar before making the breakthrough four minutes before the break
Manuel Ugarte lost possession, Bilal El Khannouss cut the ball back from the left and Patson Daka’s shot was blocked and bounced up for De Cordova-Reid to nod home from, three yards.
United, who barely laid a glove on Leicester in the opening half, were badly in need to more attacking thrust.
Amorim responded by taking off Dorgu, one of the better players in the opening half, and brought on Garnacho.
That change failed to lift the Reds who made a second change mid-half when Kobbie Mainoo made way for Zirkzee.
United’s best chance of the game came in the 65th minute when Ugarte released Garnacho who cut in from the left and his shot deflected off Wout Faes and looped over keeper Mads Hermansen.
It looked a certain goal until Calb Okoli appeared from nowhere to make a goalline clearance off the underside of the crossbar.
That chance finally ignited United who were soon level.
Again, Garnacho set up the goal with another raid cutting in down the left and crossing for Hojlund whose shot was blocked by Faes and rebounded to Zirkzee to aide foot home from eight yards.
It was Dutchman Zirkzee’s first goal in 12 matches as his famine came to an end with his fifth goal of the season.
Garnacho burst through again only to fire disappointingly into the side netting.
With the game seconds away from extra time, Leicester conceded a free kick on the left.
Bruno Fernandes whipped in a cross from the left and Maguire – one of four United players who were offside when the kick was taken – headed back across the face of goal for only his second goal of the season – but what a huge one.
United brought on Casemiro for Ugarte as they played out the final seconds as they claimed their place in the last 16.