MANCHESTER, England — It turns out that Erik ten Hag can Motivate and lead your Manchester United team to victory against a formidable opponent.
Man United's 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final victory against Liverpool on Sunday answered many questions about the manager's ability to make things count when it matters on a day when Old Trafford was feeling like the impregnable fortress of the era of Sir Alex Ferguson.
In a thrilling match that had absolutely everything, substitute Amad Diallo's injury-time winner at the end of extra time sealed an FA Cup semi-final against EFL Championship side Coventry City next month. Amad, whose season has been blighted by injuries, was sent off for a second yellow card after taking off his shirt in celebration, in perhaps the most incomprehensible dismissal of the year.
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With Ten Hag's future as United manager still far from certain, there is no shortage of irony in Coventry being managed by Mark Robins, the man often credited with keeping Alex Ferguson in place with a crucial goal. to win the game for United. in an FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest in 1990. Could Robins once again have the fate of a United manager in his hands? Ten Hag will surely hope not.
We already know that manager Jurgen Klopp will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, and this defeat means he won't be celebrating a quadruple when he walks through the Anfield exit door.
That's because Ten Hag found a way to turn a losing situation into a winning one with bold substitutions as United chased the game. Ten Hag then threw caution to the wind as they played the final minutes of extra time with Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes forming a makeshift back three.
“United took a lot of risks, I absolutely respect that,” Klopp said.
How much of that was by accident or design is up for debate, but Ten Hag at least influenced the outcome of the game. His first change, replacing Rasmus Hojlund with Antony, paid off when the Brazilian winger made it 2-2 at the end of regulation time with just his second goal of the season.
At that time, Ten Hag had also introduced Christian Eriksen and Amad in place of Kobbie Mainoo and Raphaël Varane, two attacking players in favor of more defensive players. Although they seemed like desperate measures for desperate times, his decisions paid off.
After taking a 10th-minute lead through Scott McTominay, United saw their advantage nullified when Liverpool took a 2-1 lead at half-time following goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah just before the interval.
At that moment, an air of resignation fell over Old Trafford. United have lost five times this season after scoring first (only Brentford (7) have suffered more defeats when leading) and United were losing against one of the best teams in the world.
The day looked more likely to get worse than better for United, but having been questioned all season for an apparent lack of unity and fighting spirit, Ten Hag's players mustered every last ounce of those qualities.
“The first 30 minutes were the best of our entire season,” Ten Hag said. “We acted as a team, but then we had gaps between the lines and this cannot be allowed against one of the best teams in Europe.
“They outplayed us. Then we made changes, we took risks and the players were wonderful. The attitude was excellent, a strong conviction to win this game.”
United took advantage of their luck with Liverpool dominating and missing opportunities, but Antony's equalizer in the 87th minute gave United energy. A victory without the need for extra time was only denied by a notable miss from Marcus Rashford, when he shot wide from six yards with the last shot of normal time.
When Harvey Elliott made it 3-2 to restore Liverpool's lead in the 105th minute, United seemed drained of energy and confidence, but in the brief encounter during the extra-time break, Ten Hag rallied his players for one last push . And he went all in again, this time replacing defender Victor Lindelöf with attacking midfielder Mason Mount.
United fans have long urged Ten Hag to be bolder, to take more risks, and here he was, answering that call as time ran out against the club's biggest rivals.
The game had now become a basketball game: from start to finish, with space everywhere and opportunities for both teams to score. And Rashford, whose lack of goals contributed to Ten Hag's problems, made up for his earlier mistake by equalizing in the 112th minute with a low shot past goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Old Trafford erupted again, but just when this classic tie looked destined for a penalty shootout, Amad made it 4-3 after charging a free kick on the edge of United's penalty area. He cleared Alejandro Garnacho and, after an eighty-meter sprint, he scored with a shot into the far corner.
Ferguson, who retired as manager in 2013, celebrated wildly in the directors' box, like every other United fan in the stadium. This stadium had not seen an occasion like this since Ferguson's time as manager and, less than a month after new minority owner Jim Ratcliffe spoke of “taking down Manchester City and Liverpool”, Ten Hag had overseen a victory that derailed Liverpool's hopes of a quadruple.
It was an iconic victory for Ten Hag, but for United to truly make a comeback, and for Ten Hag to survive in his job, the club has to enjoy its own success rather than simply preventing its rivals from achieving it.
This victory showed what the future may hold, and certainly does not hurt Ten Hag's chances of surviving at Old Trafford despite calls for his sacking. But United's next challenge is to win a Premier League game at Brentford. Being able to do it, far from the excitement of beating Liverpool, is what will really dictate the coach's future.
“We keep fighting,” Ten Hag said. “For a long time in the season we are far behind that level, but we are putting pressure on Spurs and Villa. Every game is a final and we lost a final against Fulham. Our goal is the Champions League and the titles.”
Ten Hag may need to accomplish both to have any chance of keeping his job, but this victory keeps him alive and well.
