Manchester United pulled off the ultimate comeback against Liverpool to win 4-3 in extra time in a pulsating FA Cup quarter final tie at Old Trafford that kept fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Following 120 minutes of football, this match will no doubt go down in the history books and be remembered for years to come.
This match was a crucial one for United, as victory would enable them to keep their only hopes for silverware for the season alive.
Man United surprisingly got off to a bright start, with Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo linking up to launch a threatening attack. While Mainoo’s through ball into the centre found Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the full-back was unable to connect properly, with goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher easily scooping up the shot.
Four minutes in, United were once again on the hunt for an opening goal as Alejandro Garnacho raced into the box. His pass found Marcus Rashford, whose low shot was saved by the Liverpool keeper at full stretch.
Following a slow start to the match, Dominik Szoboszlai tried to get Liverpool off the mark with a shot from outside the box that Andre Onana comfortably caught.
Moments later, the visitors were on the attack again, with Mohammed Salah getting on the end of a cross to send a threatening volley past the far post. United’s defence will need to mark more vigilantly in order to close down Salah.
10 minutes in, Old Trafford erupted as United grabbed the lead. Garnacho drilled a thunderous shot at Kelleher, who could only parry the shot. Scott McTominay was perfectly positioned to pounce on the loose ball, thumping it into the back of the net to hand his team an early lead.
After United won a free kick, Bruno Fernandes stepped up to take it from the left-hand side. His threatening cross soared onto the top netting of the goalposts, giving Liverpool a minor scare as a second goal was within reach.
Darwin Nunez got possession in a threatening position within United’s box, however, Victor Lindelof maintained his composure, dispossessing the Liverpool striker to send the ball out for a corner that the away side were unable to make the most of.
United were away on a threatening counter-attack in the 27th minute, with Garnacho sprinting toward goal. He laid a through ball off to Rasmus Hojlund, who unfortunately slipped as he attempted a shot, thereby sending a prime goalscoring opportunity out for a goal kick.
On the 30-minute mark, Liverpool appeared to break through United’s defence, with Szoboszlai unleashing a shot that Onana did well to collect.
Following a lengthy lack of scoring chances, United were back on the attack as Fernanes sent a blistering shot from distance goalwards. While Kelleher held onto the shot, United regained possession almost immediately after, with McTominay taking a close-range shot that the keeper parried. Garnacho attempted a follow-up shot that was also blocked.
While Luis Dias took an opportune shot on the counter-attack, Onana was alert enough to make the required save. Soon after, groans could be heard reverberating around Old Trafford as Wataru Endo slipped past United’s defence and slotted the ball into the net. Fortunately for United, the flag went up for offside, meaning the home side’s lead remained intact.
Two minutes from the break, Liverpool did equalise as Alexis McAllister scored from the edge of the box. United’s defensive organisation was bamboozling given the many defenders who stood between McAllister and the net.
Still, with four minutes of added time, anything could happen before the break. Unfortunately, things would go Liverpool’s way, as Nunez took a shot that Onana parried in the path of Salah, who easily scored in the open net.
Clearly, Erik ten Hag will need to reorganise his defence after its capitulation before the half-time break. Conceding two goals within three minutes is unacceptable in any circumstance.
United came out of the tunnel with desire ahead of the second half, with Rashford embarking on a rapid counter-attack off Liverpool’s kick-off. He passed to Wan-Bissaka, who was dispossessed.
Seven minutes into the second half, Fernandes overlapped with Rashford, taking a shot from the left that veered past the far post, bringing United within inches of equalising.
A minute later, the away side was on the counter as Salah threaded a through ball to Nunez. Fortunately for United, his shot went wide.
62 minutes in, Nunez was on the attack again, dribbling past Varane and thumping a shot at the near post to force an impressive save from Onana.
Luis Dias raced into United’s final third, pushing the ball out to Salah which was followed by another fine save by Onana.
In the 70th minute, Antony came on to replace Hojlund while Harry Maguire replaced Wan-Bissaka.
In a rare moment of briliance from United in the second half, Kobbie Mainoo made a sublime slide tackle to dispossess Connor Bradley, halting a dangerous counter-attack. Moments later, Mainoo’s match came to an end as he made way for Christian Eriksen.
Four minutes from time, following a subdued second-half performance, United pulled off an unlikely comeback. Antony picked up a pass from Garnacho, rotating past three defenders to slot the ball into the bottom right corner and send the Old Trafford crowd into hysteria.
A minute later, Liverpool was back on the attack as Harvey Elliot swung in a dangerous cross that scraped the crossbar. Moments later, Ganracho almost scored on the other end, with his shot blocked.
With four minutes of added time, Rashford won a corner for United. While Eriksen’s corner was dealt with, United continued bombarding Liverpool’s final third, desperate to grab a late winner.
With seconds left, Eriksen lobbed an expert through ball to Rashford, who went one-on-one with the keeper. Unbelievably, he sent his shot wide, missing a golden opportunity to seal a last-gasp winner for United. Soon after, the referee blew the full-time whistle, sending the match into extra time.
A minute into extra time, Antony looked to repeat his heroics as he sent his shot gliding narrowly over the crossbar.
As both sides attempted to gain the upper hand in a tight midfield battle, it became apparent that there were plenty of tired legs on the field as neither side could gain the upper hand.
Suddenly, Garnacho laid the ball off to Lindelof, who came close to scoring as he beat the keeper, only to blast his shot into the side netting.
Two minutes from half-time in extra time, Rashford missed another one-on-one, shooting wide yet again albeit this time from the right. He would have been relieved to see the offside flag go up after yet another poor miss.
Moments later, Liverpool regained the lead, as Harvey Elliot shot from outside the box. With the ball deflecting off Eriksen’s leg, there was not much Onana could do to prevent the ball from going in.
With just 15 to play, United fans will be anxious to see if Ten Hag had any tricks up his sleeve to save United from a painful FA Cup exit.
In an audacious substitution, Ten Hag took off Lindelof for Mason Mount, marking his return from a long-term injury absence.
With eight minutes to play, Nunez gave the ball away in his own half, with McTominay picking up the ball. The United midfielder threaded the ball to Rashford, who redeemed himself for his prior errors by slotting the ball into the back of the net to draw United level yet again.
Four minutes from time, United came close to grabbing a late winner as Rashford sent the ball into McTominay, whose shot in front of goal went agonisingly wide.
At the death, United pulled off the most remarkable of endings as Garnacho and Amad Diallo sped away on a blistering counter-attack. Garnacho laid off the ball to Diallo, who slotted the ball into the far corner of the goal as Old Trafford erupted. After taking off his shirt in the celebrations, Diallo earned his second yellow card for a bizarre sending off.
Still, it made little difference as the referee blew the full-time whistle. In what was arguably the most exciting match of United’s season to date, the Red Devils overcame all odds to defeat their bitter rivals and secure their spot in the FA Cup semi final.
Starting XI: Onana, Lindelof, Fernandes, Rashford, Hojlund, Garnacho, Varane, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Mainoo, McTominay
Subs: Antony, Maguire, Eriksen, Mount, Diallo
