It was a dramatic FA Cup fourth-round clash at Old Trafford when Manchester United defender Harry Maguire headed Bruno Fernandes’ free kick past Leicester City’s goalkeeper at the stroke of stoppage time. The contentious goal won United the match and a place in the next round of the tournament that aired on SuperSport (DStv Channel 208), but not without eliciting reactions from the footballing community.
United's performance in the first half was notably sluggish, lacking creativity and intensity. Leicester capitalised on this lethargy and took the lead just before halftime through Bobby De Cordova-Reid. The goal was a result of defensive lapses.
Manager Ruben Amorim made a pivotal change at halftime, introducing Alejandro Garnacho for Patrick Dorgu, who struggled in an unfamiliar right wing-back role. Garnacho's energy and directness revitalised United's attack; this led to Joshua Zirkzee's equaliser in the 68th minute. Garnacho's involvement was instrumental, as he provided the assist for Zirkzee's goal.
The match reached its climax in stoppage time when captain Harry Maguire headed in a Bruno Fernandes free-kick to secure the win. However, replays indicated that Maguire was in an offside position. This sparked debate among fans and pundits. The absence of VAR in this fixture meant the goal stood, leaving Leicester players and supporters feeling aggrieved.
Not only those on the Leicester side; former Manchester United captain Roy Keane, who was critical of the team's performance, describing it as "shocking" and "really, really poor.” He also had some words for the linesmen:
"We talk about VAR, if it was here and it should be here, whatever, but the linesman's got to see that, has to see that."
Paul Scholes also weighed in, criticising United manager Ruben Amorim's tactical decision to play new signing Patrick Dorgu out of position. Unimpressed, he took to his Instagram to deliver this in a brutal eight-word verdict: "Inverted wingbacks... you saw it at [Old Trafford] first."
Meanwhile, in his post-match comments, United manager Ruben Amorim acknowledged the team's subpar first-half performance and admitted that they were fortunate with Harry Maguire's late winning goal.
As United progresses to the fifth round, the focus must shift to addressing the issues evident in this match. Building on the momentum from the second-half resurgence, with players like Garnacho stepping up, could be key to sustaining a successful cup run. However, the team cannot afford to overlook the need for more consistent and convincing performances to satisfy the expectations of their supporters.
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