A Manchester United comeback in 'Fergie Time'
The FA Cup quarter-final win turned the clock back, if only for one rainy Sunday at Old Trafford.
Tears of joy from a boy in the red beanie, flashed across television screens just long enough for it to be amplified on social media, said it all. Happiness is but an occasional episode in the general drama of pain, Thomas Hardy had said. Everyone backing a team knows it (unless you have recently signed up with Manchester City faithfuls). Which was why Sunday night at Old Trafford felt worthy compensation, for the boy and those who swear by the red side of Manchester.
Clips on X of Diogo Dalot entering the players’ tunnel thumping the board that said “Manchester United”, Bruno Fernandes leaving the pitch his left arm raised, Raphael Varane pumping his arms at the crowd and Antony jabbing fingers on the crest after his goal showed what it meant to the players.
Like Harry Kane did after his double act against Lazio, Erik ten Hag told the media that the 4-3 win that took Manchester United to the FA Cup semi-final, where they will play Coventry City (Mark Robins is a manager there; you really can’t make up this storyline) with Manchester City and Chelsea playing the other semi-final, can change the season.
“Every team needs these moments in a season but we never had one. This could be the moment that gives the team energy and the belief that they can do amazing things. When you can beat Liverpool like this you can beat any opponent,” said Ten Hag.
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Given their hegemony over Bundesliga, it is difficult to rule out a last-season-like comeback from Bayern but Champions League really is their biggest chance to repair a campaign that will cost them a coach in the summer. For Manchester United, that would be the FA Cup.
Credit to Ten Hag for being courageous and changing the line-up and formation so much that the team that finished the game looked very different from the one that began it. Okay, at times it did seem more desperation than a diligent reading of the situation but when it works, when substitutes make the difference in a thrilling game, managers need to be accorded due credit. Manchester United began with Aaron Wan-Bissaka as left-back to deal with Mohamed Salah and Fernandes playing as the second striker. They ended with Fernandes playing centre-back and Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire their only recognised defenders both of whom were often in the middle and front thirds.
“They didn’t park the bus today, brilliant,” said Roy Keane, the most person from Cork in Ireland as per Oscar winner Cillian Murphy who is from the same city. They showed they had the belief it takes to win big football matches, said Keane, once a legendary Manchester United captain now a pundit, on Sky Sports.
The game was chaotic, wonderful and full of surprises including but not restricted to Antony’s right foot. This does not include Scott McTominay nearly scoring a brace. Or Marcus Rashford being unable to end the game in regulation time after Christian Eriksen found him with a pass that, well, only Christian Eriksen can.
For most of the second half, by when Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah had put McTominay’s goal in the shade, Liverpool showed why they were in the battle on four fronts, why they have 23 points, the most, from losing positions in the league (Manchester United have nine). They had quelled a bright start by the home team, possibly Manchester United’s brightest this season against a top-four team and one where Kobbie Mainoo again showed he has happy feet, and were bossing the ball. Andre Onana was composed and competent but a Liverpool goal looked imminent, their energy throwing into sharp contrast Manchester United’s ennui. But Liverpool couldn’t score. You don’t do that at Old Trafford and not be punished, said Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp after his last FA Cup game.
Then Anthony scored. In what in another era would be called Fergie Time. With his right foot. This was as incredulous as Hugh Grant saying, “David Beckham’s left foot, come to that,” in “Love Actually.” Manchester United found another gear they never looked like they had all season. Rashford missed, Old Trafford agonised but they went again. Liverpool’s second goal of the evening from a deflection came from Harvey Elliot. And with a little over 15 minutes to salvage a season, United went again. “That was the first time I saw my team really struggling,” said Klopp.
Rashford wouldn’t miss another one and, when penalties loomed, neither would Amad Diallo, who till the 85th minute was on the bench, following a counter-attack initiated by the Ivorian and taken forward by the tireless Alejandro Garnacho. Cue, Old Trafford shaking to its foundations, a boy in a red beanie overcome with happiness,, Diallo too and being booked for it.
Winning from losing position and late goals have been a Liverpool thing; they have five after 74 minutes in FA Cup this term as per FBRef.com. The television cameras didn’t pan on Alex Ferguson but Antony, Rashford and Amad’s goals turned the clock back if only for one rainy Sunday in Manchester.
On the subject of Fergie: it was Robins’ goal in the FA Cup in 1989-90 that is said to have saved his career and made the poster that said “Ta-ra Fergie” look ludicrous soon after. Would it be the same for Ten Hag?