Now Ten Hag still has everything to play for
SIR DAVE Brailsford had almost disappeared into the directors’ lounge when he turned to the jubilant Manchester United fans in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and shook his fists wildly in celebration.
The emotion of days like this can do that to the best of them, even people as cool and calculating as Brailsford. To hell with the marginal gains.
We had just witnessed one of the great Cup ties. United 4 Liverpool 3, and even that doesn’t tell half the story of this pulsating game.
By the end, United had two defenders on the pitch and Bruno Fernandes at centre back marking Virgil van Dijk. Antony was at left back. Ten Hag was in danger of ending up on his back as he exhorted his 10 men to hold on for the final few seconds before they could celebrate a famous victory over the old enemy and a return to Wembley.
The final whistle brought the kind of noise not heard enough at Old Trafford these days. It’s not as loud and intimidating as some like to think but it was bouncing yesterday. Talk of bulldozing the old place has sparked an emotive debate. It holds more than a century of precious memories and now we can add one more.
What a game. Marcus Rashford could and should have won it with the last kick of normal time, then gave Scott McTominay the chance to win it late in extra time only for the midfielder to miss. Then when Amad Diallo found the net in stoppage time of extra time, he was sent off for his celebrations. You could forgive him for his moment of over-excitement.
Amid the mayhem stood Ten Hag, stoic as ever until even he became a picture of animation in those frantic final moments.
The Dutchman’s concession to spring was to replace the turtle necks and overcoats that have kept him warm through winter with a suit and tie. It also made him look like someone heading for a job interview, and that felt entirely appropriate as Liverpool threatened to extinguish his last hope of a trophy this season.
Up in the stands, Brailsford sat stony-faced. The new order is falling into place under Ineos, and there are questions over Ten Hag’s place in it. Dan Ashworth as director of football, Jason Wilcox as technical director, but what about the manager? Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter are some of the names being put forward for a job vacancy that doesn’t exist yet.
Who knows what Brailsford and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are thinking, but this was the kind of win, the kind of occasion, the kind of emotion that can sway even the most hard-headed of businessmen.
The opportunity is still there for Ten Hag if he can seize it. He’s not done yet.
On a weekend of wonderful FA Cup drama, it shouldn’t be forgotten that United’s rivals for Champions League qualification, Tottenham and Aston Villa, both dropped points.
Finishing in the top four — or the top five if England’s UEFA coefficient earns the Premier League an extra Champions League place — and lifting the FA Cup would be a fine way to finish a turbulent season. So much so that even in late March we are still talking about turning points.
‘It could be but we have missed so many opportunities,’ said the United manager. ‘Such moments can help you. Every team needs these moments in a season. This could be that moment where the team can have belief and energy to do amazing things.
‘When you beat Liverpool in the way we did, you can beat any opponent. So it’s up to us to prove that point.
‘The first 30 minutes was the best of our season. It showed the future of this team is very bright. There is huge potential. Coming up are players who are developing very well like Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.’
Ten Hag can still be part of that future. Clearly, this is not a group of players that have given up on their manager, even though his second season has not gone nearly as smoothly as the first.
Injuries haven’t helped, but there has been too much chaos. This was the fourth 4-3 United have been involved in this season, winning two and losing two.
Ineos prefer a little more order. Rigour, to use Ratcliffe’s favourite word. This season, and this game in particular, were anything but. No one was complaining, though, least of all Brailsford as he allowed himself to get carried away.
Ten Hag is going back to Wembley with a huge opportunity to reach back-to-back FA Cup finals by beating Coventry City. There is still everything to play for.