Maguire heads controversial late winner to complete United comeback
LATE WINNER: Harry Maguire sealed the win for Manchester United as they see of 10-man Leicester City.
THE FA Cup, a lifeline for Erik ten Hag when he won it last season, may prove to be so again, for his successor Ruben Amorim, judging bt this stunning fourth round win, clinched by Harry Maguire’s 93rd minute header.
The half-time introduction of winger Alejandro Garnacho altered the destiny of a game that looked to be slipping out of United’s reach as they trailed at the interval.
And, in the third, and final, minute of added time, Maguire arrived unmarked to meet a Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick and head powerfully in from six yards. Maguire looked to be well offside but there was no VAR in this round of the Cup.
But the FA Cup holders, and finalists in each of the past two seasons, saw their current malaise even extended to the competition as they were made to look distinctly second best for long periods, by a Leicester team apparently destined for relegation this season.
The opening goal, three minutes before the break, was thoroughly deserved for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team but perhaps the biggest indictment of United’s current problems lay in the fact that it was no surprise they trailed at the half.
United fans had seen their team win just seven times this season against English opponents before this fourth round tie - and two of those were against Leicester, in the league and League Cup, when van Nistelrooy was United caretaker manager.
Amorim explained, logically and intelligently, why he had no place for van Nistelrooy in his coaching set-up when he was eventually named Erik ten Hag’s permanent successor in November.
But the United legend clearly had a point to prove and his team, for all their problems in the Premier League table, set about helping him do precisely that.
The opening goal, when it came, was no more than Leicester merited, for their patience and almost faultless first half performance and underscored so many weaknesses in this United line-up.
On this occasion, it was Manuel Ugarte who carelessly gave the ball away deep in his own half, robbed by Boubakary Soumare who sent Bilal El Khannouss heading to the by-line.
His cross picked out Wilfred Ndidi whose shot was kept out by the outstretched leg of Andre Onana only for the ball to sit up for Bobby De Cordova-Reid to show impressive reflexes and head in from the rebound.
It should have been a stunning development but, having lost seven home games in the league this season, it hardly ranked as a surprise to see United trailing.
New signing, left wing-back Patrick Dorgu, was handed a start, on the right for some reason, and flattered to deceive with a couple of promising moments in attack.
Amad Diallo threatened briefly, from a couple of long-range shots, but, as had been the norm in recent weeks, there was no service for striker Rasmus Hojlund and United looked even more toothless than of late.
Garnacho was thrown on at the interval, after his side had been booed off at the half-time whistle, and Hojlund started the second half with a marauding run that came to nothing.
So bad had United’s first half performance been, however, that even that harmless attack was greeted by home fans as if it were a moment of Best or Cantona genius.
Garnacho, at least, was an upgrade in attacking terms and came within millimetres of equalising after 64 minutes, as he chased onto Ugarte’s through ball and lifted his shot over Mads Hermansen.
Incredibly, Leicester defender Caleb Okoli made an astonishing recovery run to connect with the ball on the goalline and clear it to safety, via the underside of his own crossbar.
It was a foretaste of the equaliser to come, three minutes later, when Garnacho surged past De Cordova-Reid down the left and crossed for Hojlund whose shot was blocked.
For once, there was a breakdown in Leicester’s defensive cover and substitute Joshua Zirkzee, on the field for just four minutes, was on hand to tap into an empty goal.
Garnacho was well and truly leading the charge now and, 12 minutes from time, played a clever one-two with Diogo Dalot before advancing and shooting into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Onana 6; Mazraoui 6, Maguire 5, Yoro 6; Dalot 6, Ugarte 5 (Casemiro 90), Fernandes 6, Dorgu 6 (Garnacho 46, 9); Diallo 7, Mainoo 5 (Zirkzee 63, 7); Hojlund 6. Substitutes (not used) Graczyk, Lindelof, de Ligt, Eriksen, Heaven, Collyer.
: Hermansen 6; Justin 6, Faes 7, Okoli 8, Thomas 6 (Coulibaly 58, 5); Ndidi 7 (Winks 58, 6), Soumare 6; Ayew 6, El Khannouss 7, Cordova-Reid 7 (McAteer 72, 5); Daka 7 (Buonanotte 81). Substitutes (not used) Stolarczyk, Coady, Mavididi, Skipp, Monga.
: M Salisbury 7
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