Manchester United secured safe passage through to the fifth round of the FA Cup by beating Newport County by four goals to two on Sunday afternoon.
Erik ten Hag’s men raced into a two-goal lead but were inexplicably pegged back to 2-2 after failing to kill the game off in the first half.
United needed late goals from Antony and Rasmus Hojlund to add to Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo’s early strikes in order to spare their blushes at Rodney Parade.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Newport’s goals either side of half-time were the first time in almost 30 years United have conceded two goals to teams from the fourth division in the FA Cup.
United have shipped two goals against lower tier sides before the weekend on just two occasions; the latest against Sunderland in February 1996 with the first against Northampton Town in 1970.
Sir Alex Ferguson needed a late Eric Cantona goal to force a replay against Sunderland in ’96 which they went on to win 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
The game against then-fourth tier Northampton was made famous by George Best lighting up the County Ground, with the club legend scoring six of United’s eight on the day in what was a much more comfortable afternoon’s work.
United were left stunned in South Wales at the weekend but did find their feet eventually to recover a situation that would have sent shockwaves through English football had they failed to get their name in that hat for the next round.
Having started the game strong, it looked as though United were going to be in for a fruitful afternoon with chances being created almost at will.
However, the team’s sloppiness and lack of concentration kicked in once again and left Ten Hag’s men on the cusp of a replay.
As it was, United did get themselves through and will now face another away trip to either Nottingham Forest or Bristol City.
United will be hoping for a different outcome to the ones achieved on their last visits to these sides with Forest beating United at the City Ground this season and Bristol knocking Jose Mourinho’s troops out of the League Cup back in 2017.
