Manchester United cruised to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 FA Cup win over Leicester City, but the win was marred by a last minute goal that technically speaking should never have been allowed. Harry Maguire’s stoppage time winner was clearly offside and only saved United because of the absence of VAR in the FA Cup. It certainly was painful for Leicester but United got lucky and cruised past them. However, with the win were serious questions raised about How United played in the game and their overall display which was far from being Manchester United's way.
Leicester started strongly, taking the lead through Cordova-Reid after a bounce following Andre Onana’s save. The hosts appeared to be in control of the ball during a largely uninspiring first half, leaving United’s supporters anxious as their team had struggled at home in recent matches. Amorim has already lost five times in the league at Old Trafford so far in the Premier League so United fans had every right to be anxious with minimum action upfront. The lackluster performance was evident until Amorim took debutant Dorgu off at half time for Alejandro Garnacho. Dorgu surprisingly made his debut at Right Wing Back and at times was way too cautious with his first touch but was anticipated from a young player coming into an entirely different league. The introduction of Alejandro Garnacho was something the fans needed whose pace and direct runs injected some much needed energy into the side. His efforts bore fruit when his low cross set up Rasmus Hojlund, whose blocked shot eventually led to Joshua Zirkzee calmly leveling the score.
Yet, it was Maguire’s header in the dying moments that would prove the most contentious. With the referee and his officials missing the clear offside, by what some suggest was a margin of half a meter, the goal was allowed to stand because VAR had not yet been implemented at this stage of the cup. Despite getting the win, pundits did not mince words after the game. Former United midfielder Roy Keane described United’s escape as nothing more than “riding their luck,” while Ruud van Nistelrooy saw the offside decision as “unthinkable and unacceptable” at the highest level of the sport.
Amid the controversy, United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, was quick to point out that the win was not a vindication of his side’s performance, as he admitted that his side was just lucky to get the win. He stressed that reliance on fortunate calls is far from a sustainable strategy for United. Amorim’s frank admission came on the back of a string of disappointing displays, where the club’s defensive fragilities and lack of precision in both possession and movement were glaringly apparent again.
Ultimately, while the win secured the next round in the FA Cup, it was a wake up call for both Amorim and Manchester United. With mounting pressure, Amorim would be pleased to at least get going in the FA Cup while conceding that the season in the league is certainly over for United. However, if the team continues to depend on such decisions and moments of luck to salvage results, the long term implications for both domestic and European ambitions could be severe for United, who are only in the Europa League this season because of the previous season’s FA Cup victory. For now, United moves on to the next round, but will this inconsistency continue or will United be better for good? Only time will tell.