MANCHESTER UNITED BOW OUT OF FA CUP IN SHOCKING DEFEAT AT OLD TRAFFORD
Manchester United were knocked out of the fourth round of the FA Cup on penalties by Championship side Middlesbrough on Friday night. United manager Ralf Rangnick fielded his best 11 starting Dean Henderson and Paul Pogba after months without featuring for the team. Upfront, Rangnick started the best players that Manchester United’s attack had to offer in Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Jadon Sancho. Manchester United eventually lost 7-8 on penalties after Anthony Elanga missed the decisive penalty as United missed out on another opportunity to lift a trophy this season.
Manchester United dominated the game from the opening whistle, possessing the ball 71% of the time to Middlesbrough’s 29% -all while playing over 900 passes and attempting 30 shots to Middlesbrough’s 6- but still lost the game. Rangnick said after the game, “Incredibly disappointed. We should have won and killed off the game in the first half. Crossbar, post, missed penalty, and numerous chances. It should have been 2-0 or 3-0.”
United were boosted by the return of Paul Pogba and Manchester United was much the better side in the first half of the game. United created chances early on and came close in the first two minutes as Jadon Sancho’s chip shot hit the frame of the bar. They were then given a glorious chance as referee Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty after Paul Pogba was fouled inside the box. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take it and dragged his penalty just wide, the first time he’s missed the target entirely from the penalty spot in six years.
The Red Devils did, however, take the lead shortly after from a Jadon Sancho shot that was deflected past Joe Lumley in goal and into the back of the net. United went on to spurn several other chances, both before and after Middlesbrough found their 64th-minute equalizer through long-time Manchester United fan Matt Crooks.
Boro’s equalizer came after substitute Duncan Watmore controlled a diagonal long pass from Isaiah Jones with his hand and set it up for Matt Crooks to slide it into the net from close range. In the most controversial decision of the night, VAR referee Stuart Atwell took a look at it and gave the goal despite massive protest from the United supporters. The goal would most likely have been disallowed last season but was given due to changes in the handball rule that were brought in during the summer. According to the new rules, a player can no longer be penalized for an accidental handball preceding a goal unless he scores it himself. Watmore’s handball was deemed not to be deliberate and the goal stood.
United felt aggrieved by the decision and fans furiously went online to voice their opinions about it.
Bruno Fernandes then caught Middlesbrough’s defense in possession and hit the post with the goal gaping. Ralf Rangnick said the team had no one to blame for the defeat but themselves. “We should and could have easily been up 3-0 after 45 minutes and even in the second half we missed some great opportunities, even after they scored their goal that shouldn’t have stood. So we have to blame ourselves,” said the United manager.
Manchester United only had 9 of their 30 shots on target, their poor and lackluster finishing evident throughout the game. Cristiano Ronaldo fired the ball into the side netting after he was set up on a cut-back by Marcus Rashford; Rashford was denied twice by Lumley after being played through by Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba, and volleyed a Jadon Sancho cross over the bar early in the second half; Bruno Fernandes hit the ball over the post from a Diogo Dalot ball in addition to the chance where he hit the post in the 72nd minute.
United lost on penalties but fans will feel like they didn’t deserve to win the tie after missing dozens of chances in the second half. Middlesbrough, on the other hand, were more clinical and had half of their 6 attempted shots on target, scoring from a third of the on-target shots.
The Red Devil’s night was not all misery and gloom as the team’s performance was excellent especially in the first half, and former United captain Roy Keane agreed.
Manchester United have not scored a goal resulting from a corner this season, the only Premier League team yet to do so. In response to this stat, Rangnick’s side came up with corner routines off the training ground involving Jadon Sancho, Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, and Marcus Rashford. Granted they didn’t come off but it shows that Rangnick is trying to work it out. United fans should be rightfully disappointed with the result but ought to be pragmatically optimistic of the future under Ralf Rangnick after Friday’s performance.
United go to Burnley away on Tuesday in a Premier League clash that was postponed in December due to an increase in positive coronavirus cases at Burnley.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero