AMAD DIALS UP CLASSIC
Never-say-die United have final say in magical chaos
MAN UTD 4 LIVERPOOL 3 AET: FULL TIME SCORE 2-2
THIS was the magic of the FA Cup.
It will go down as one of the all-time great FA Cup ties.
And if you ever needed reminding of what the FA Cup means, then it was all here.
What a story to finish off a brilliant quarter-final weekend as Manchester United supersub Amad Diallo scored the 121st-minute winner – and then got sent off for a second yellow card for his celebration.
It was the loudest anyone could remember Old Trafford and, while the old place is falling down, it can still generate an incredible noise.
By the end, it felt like it had turned into a game of last goal wins. This was the United of old because they showed heart, courage and spirit until the very end.
Liverpool saw one trophy disappear from their dream of the Quadruple and Jurgen Klopp must be kicking himself.
Maybe the turning point was Mo Salah being substituted late on in normal time as that almost handed the initiative to a United side who looked dead and buried. But Erik ten Hag looked on as his players became heroes with a victory that might just have saved the manager’s job.
United will now face Coventry, managed by Mark Robins, the man who famously saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s job with an FA Cup winner.
No one inside Old Trafford will forget they were here.
Maybe cup ties going to penalties are not so bad after all because at least it means both teams have to go for it. It was every bit as brilliant as the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay at Villa Park when United beat
The game was always played at 100mph
Arsenal in extra-time. That was a classic and this one probably beats it for sheer drama.
The game started at 100mph – and never slowed down. United were ahead after 10 minutes. Alejandro Garnacho’s shot was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher but Scott McTominay scored from the rebound.
Liverpool levelled after 44 minutes. Jarell Quansah, 21, drove forward with all the maturity of a veteran. Darwin Nunez laid it off for Alexis Mac Allister ,whose shot deflected in off Kobbie Mainoo. The visitors were ahead in first-half injury time. Joe Gomez challenged Bruno Fernandes, Nunez’s shot was saved by Andre Onana and then Salah put in the rebound.
Liverpool had so many chances to win it in the second half but wasted counter attacks and Onana defied them.
Just when all hope looked lost, United substitute Antony levelled after 87 minutes with his first goal at Old Trafford in a year as he turned and fired into the far corner. Even before extratime, Harvey Elliott still had time to hit the post and Marcus Rashford should have won it in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Elliott thought he had won it in extra-time when he put his side back in front after 105 minutes as his shot deflected in off Christian Eriksen.
But United levelled again after 112 minutes. Nunez gave the ball away and McTominay played in Rashford, who fired into the bottom corner.The best drama was saved for last. Garnacho robbed Elliott on the edge of the box, then led a charge forward before playing in Amad to win it with a lovely finish. Amad, who had already been booked for blocking a quick free-kick, then ripped his shirt off in delight and duly got sent off. That just about summed it all up.
MAN UTD (4-2-3-1): Onana 8; Dalot 6, Lindelof 6 (Mount 105), Varane 6 (Diallo 85), Wan-Bissaka 6 (Maguire 71); Mainoo 7 (Eriksen 80), McTominay 7; Fernandes 5, Garnacho 7, Rashford 6; Hojlund 5 (Antony 71). Sent off: Diallo 120, Goals: McTominay 10, Antony 87, Rashford 112, Diallo 120.
LIVERPOOL (4-3-3): Kelleher 7; Gomez 7 (Tsimikas 101), Van Dijk 7, Quansah 8, Robertson 7 (Bradley 76); Mac Allister 7, Endo 7, Szoboszlai 6 (Elliott 72); Diaz 6 (Clark 114), Nunez 7, Salah 7 (Gakpo, 77). Goals: Mac Allister 44, Salah 45, Elliott 105.