Manchester United returned to action after a 2 week break on Friday afternoon, where they took on Championship-side Middlesbrough at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. I’m a big fan of the FA Cup due to the match-ups it frequently produces. Boro, as they are locally known, did not start their season well but have had a resurgence in form under manager Chris Wilder. United were looking to continue to develop the style of play instituted by Ralf Rangnick, and were heavy favorites going into the match.
It was a high-energy start by the Red Devils, which was a nice change from the slow and laboring starts supporters have become accustomed to. Jadon Sancho did well to hit the crossbar just 90 seconds in, and Cristiano Ronaldo had a bicycle kick effort saved by Boro keeper Joe Lumley. The best chance of the half came on 19 minutes however when Paul Pogba was fouled in the box by a Boro defender. Pogba, playing for the first time in several months due to injury, did well to get the wrong side of his marker, and the defender had no choice but to bring him down. Stonewall penalty, correctly awarded by referee Anthony Taylor. Unexpectedly however, Ronaldo stepped up to the spot and promptly missed the penalty kick, with his shot going wide left. He usually doesn’t miss those, but when he does it feels like a big let-down. Bruno Fernandes then fired a shot over the bar on 23 minutes. Despite missing the chances, you felt a goal was coming.
And it did, via Sancho on 25 minutes. He used his pace and dribbling to beat his man on the left side box while he streaked towards goal. He fired a shot across the face of goal that may have taken the slightest of deflections before beating Lumley at his far post. A good goal and deserved goal, given United’s dominance in the match. Ronaldo almost got a second straight after the goal, but he missed again. Marcus Rashford was then guilty of missing a chance after Ronaldo’s shot/cross almost reached him at the back post. Rashford had the ball in the net on 30 minutes, but VAR called the goal back for offside.
United were creating everything in the first half, and Boro barely had a sniff of Dean Henderson’s goal. Despite putting the opposition under siege, United could not find a second goal in the first half. There was a succession of corners that came to nothing, and they could only manage to fire tame efforts directly at Lumley. It was the best half of football I had seen from Rangnick’s United so far this season, in terms of possession, pressing, and passing. Bruno and Pogba were running the midfield, and Boro were struggling to get out of their own half. It was only due to United’s lack of clinical finishing in front of goal that the score was not 3 or 4 to nil.
The second half was when the match started deteriorating into nonsense from a United perspective. United dominated the first 15 minutes or so similar to how they did in the first half, but again there were no additional goals scored. Rashford and Ronaldo missed good chances on 54 and 55 minutes respectively. Somewhat worryingly though, Boro were starting to grow into the game. They started believing that United were not going to score, which in turn led to more belief in themselves. Henderson was called into action to make his first save on 57 minutes.
Boro were able to snatch an equalizer however on 64 minutes, and it was very much against the run of play. Here is where the controversy comes in. The ball was crossed into the box and controlled by winger Duncan Watmore, who definitely used his hand to control the ball after he took a touch with his foot. His left arm was extended far away from his body, and he definitely used his hand to control the bounce of the ball. United’s defenders almost stopped, expecting a whistle for a flagrant hand ball. No whistle came, and Watmore had the time to pass the ball to Matty Crooks at the opposite post who tucked the ball into the top of the net with Henderson beaten. This goal should have been disallowed, but due to the idiotic finagling of the handball rule and a poor interpretation of the rule by Taylor, the goal stood. The current laws of football allow for an “accidental” handball in the buildup to a goal to stand. Had Watmore scored himself, the goal would have been disallowed. But because he passed it to Crooks who then scored, the goal was allowed to stand. However, Taylor got the call wrong because there is no way this particular handball was “accidental.” It did not bounce up and come off Watmore’s hand. He stuck his arm out and deliberately used his hand to control the ball. Intentional conduct all the way. It’s ridiculous that the rule is written so stupidly. When the rules of a game are unclear, the stage is set for controversy. The FA has gotten the handball rule wrong for ages now and it must be fixed. In previous years, the goal would not have stood. Absolutely appalling from the FA and Taylor. Use your common sense! He used his bloody hand, and it was deliberate! Disallow the goal.
But, this is what happens when you don’t kill a game off. United have no one to blame but themselves for that. Had it been 3-0, a 3-1 deficit makes little difference. At 1-0 though an equalizer makes ALL the difference. Even more frustratingly, United were given more opportunities to win that they simply did not take. Rashford had a shot saved on 71 minutes, but Bruno wasted the best chance of them all shortly after that. Lumley and the Boro back four gave the ball away directly to Bruno, with Lumley badly out of position. So much so that Bruno had roughly 2/3 of the net wide open to slide the ball into, and he was only about 14 yards from goal. Any other day of the week, Bruno slides that home and it’s 2-1. But for whatever mysterious reason, his shot slid wide and hit the left hand post before bouncing away harmlessly. It was shocking the Ronaldo missed his penalty, but this one was perhaps even more shocking.
Due to fatigue from both sides, Fred and Anthony Elanga were subbed on for Pogba and Rashford on 81 minutes. United dominated the final 10 minutes in possession, but again no additional goals were scored. Elanga had the final chance of the 90 minutes, but his header was straight at Lumley for an easy save.
In previous year, an FA Cup match that ends in a draw would be replayed at a later date at the opposite stadium. Due to Covid and player safety concerns though, there are no more replays. It’s 30 minutes of extra time, followed by penalties if need be. Both sides were exhausted in extra time though and it was a very choppy and disjointed portion of the match. Watmore went close for Boro with a shot across the face of goal, and Ronaldo hit the side netting on 101 minutes. Fred saw a shot go wide, with Bruno having a chance called back for offside. Henderson made a key save on 115 minutes and United kept the ball around the Boro penalty area for most of extra time, but they had 11 men in defense which made it exceedingly difficult to break them down.
The final whistle went and the lottery of penalties was going to decide this one. Juan Mata, Harry Maguire, Fred, Ronaldo, Bruno, Scott McTominay, and Diogo Dalot all did well to hit their penalties, but Boro were equal to them every time. Henderson could not get near their shots, aside from one that went under him that he probably should have saved. Unfortunately, Elanga blazed his penalty over the ball and Boro won on penalties 8-7.
It never should have gotten to that point though, and Elanga should not take really any blame for the result. United did not do enough to kill the game off in the first half, and they allowed Boro back into the match. It’s true the refereeing was atrocious and their goal never should have stood, but again it shouldn’t have really mattered given United’s dominance in the first 60 minutes. But in close matches like this one, the referee has to be better. The rules surrounding handball must be fixed, and idiot referees have to be held accountable for their terrible interpretations of the laws. Right now they make a mockery of the game.
United are out the FA Cup though, which was our best chance to win silverware this season. It’s very disappointing, and it’s typical of United under Rangnick. Sometimes we look like world-beaters, and other times we look like we don’t know what we’re doing. We certainly picked the worst time to forget how to finish, and it’s inexcusable with two weeks of preparation for a match against a Championship side. This one stung, and it stung bad. Ronaldo, Bruno, and Rashford all deserve blame for the loss, given all the chances they collectively missed. This one is not fully on Rangnick – he can’t go out there and score them himself. To field what is effectively our strongest team and fail to beat a Championship side is inexcusable.
Up next, United travel to Burnley in the Premier League on February 8th. Three points must be the objective to keep pace in the chase for the top-4. I’m not pleased, but the season doesn’t stop after a bad result. The lads have got to get up and get ready for the next one.
*****
A very quick shoutout again to Nottingham Forest FC, who managed to knock the reigning FA Cup champions Leicester City out of the FA Cup today. It was an emphatic 4-1 win, and I will be supporting them in the FA Cup for the rest of the season now that United are out. Forest supporters haven’t had much to cheer about in recent years, so they deserve all the fun they’re having on this magical run right now. Also very happy for non-league side Boreham Wood, who continued their own surprising run today after beating Bournemouth 1-0.
4-4-2 