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Harry Maguire headed a last-gasp winner as FA Cup holders Manchester United came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 on Friday, denying Ruud van Nistelrooy a fairytale return to Old Trafford.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid put the Premier League strugglers ahead late in the first half of the fourth-round tie against a pallid United, who have lost their fear factor at home. But the introduction of Alejandro Garnacho at half-time gave United a different dimension and fellow substitute Joshua Zirkzee levelled midway through the second period.
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Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim’s team pushed for a winner and it finally came when former Leicester defender Harry Maguire headed in a Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick deep into stoppage time.
The Portuguese manager, who is struggling to implement his ideas at Old Trafford three months into his reign, said it was a “poor performance” from his side. “We didn’t have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first half,” he told ITV.
“In the second half we played a little bit better, with a little more speed, winning second balls. We managed to turn things around so it was a good result but not a good performance,” he added.
Utd stumble out of the blocks
The Red Devils were tepid in attack in the early stages but Leicester’s Jordan Ayew tested Andre Onana at the other end.
Leicester, the 2021 FA Cup winners, gave the Old Trafford crowd a familiar sinking feeling in the 42nd minute when Manuel Ugarte gave the ball away near the touchline and Bilal El Khannouss got to the byline before pulling the ball back to Wilfred Ndidi. Onana saved Ndidi’s shot, but De Cordova-Reid nodded home from close range.
United’s players went off at half-time to a chorus of boos after failing to hit a shot on target.
Amorim brought on Garnacho at half-time for debutant Patrick Dorgu in a desperate search for inspiration and the Argentina international immediately menaced the Leicester defence.
United’s equaliser came after fine work from the lively Garnacho down the left. Rasmus Hojlund’s flick from Garnacho’s cross was blocked, but Zirkzee scored. United looked the more likely to find a winner but it did not arrive until the 93rd minute, when Maguire headed home from Fernandes’ free-kick.
Leicester lament lack of VAR
The England defender appeared to be offside but there was no VAR.
Van Nistelrooy was angry that the off-side flag was not raised. “We deserved to go into extra time and maybe penalties. Decisions like these in our level are hard to swallow,” he said.
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