Ten Hag makes Man United’s FA Cup victory feel like a defeat

LONDON — Manchester United are into the FA Cup ultimate, however the method with which they scraped previous Coventry Metropolis will do nothing for Erik ten Hag’s prospects of remaining as supervisor.

If something, the supporters who streamed out of Wembley and again to Manchester after watching their group win a penalty shootout on the finish of a dramatic day might be extra satisfied than ever that the Dutchman is now not the proper man for the job. United have been cruising at 3-0 earlier than permitting Coventry to attain 3 times within the ultimate 20 minutes, together with a Ninety fifth-minute equaliser, sending the sport to penalties tied 3-3.

The Championship aspect have been the higher group in additional time and thought that they had accomplished one of many best FA Cup comebacks ever when Victor Torp discovered the web with the ultimate kick solely to have their celebrations reduce brief by VAR and the tightest of offside calls. Ultimately it was extra Wembley penalty heartbreak for Coventry, who misplaced in a shootout to Luton City in final season’s Championship playoff ultimate.

– Stream the replay on ESPN+: Man United vs. Coventry Metropolis (U.S. solely)

United, in the meantime, go on to the ultimate in opposition to Manchester Metropolis, a repeat of final season’s showpiece. Ten Hag is more likely to be on the touchline subsequent to Pep Guardiola on Might 25, however there’s ever-increasing doubt that he’ll nonetheless be at Outdated Trafford subsequent season.

“Blended emotions, it’s clear,” Ten Hag mentioned when requested to sum up the day. “It is an achievement to be twice within the FA Cup ultimate in two years. Within the final 20 years, United have been 5 instances within the ultimate however we are actually two instances in two years. It is an enormous achievement.

“When you find yourself so in management, dominating the sport, 3-0 up, we should always win it. The way in which we did not was not good. From the 70 minutes to the top we made errors.”

What, then, will Sir Jim Ratcliffe be considering? The 71-year-old United co-owner was within the stands after finishing the London marathon hours earlier, however watching Ten Hag’s group within the second half offered his most gruelling trial of the day.

The sport was seemingly accomplished and dusted within the 58th minute when Bruno Fernandes scored United’s third, just for the Pink Devils to then inexplicably resolve to remind everybody simply how flimsy they’re.

For a lot of the afternoon, Coventry performed like a group simply completely happy to be on a break from the Championship, the place they’ve misplaced three of their previous 4 video games. However as soon as Ellis Simms pulled a purpose again within the 71st minute, United started to creak and crack, and Coventry took benefit.

Callum O’Hare acquired the second eight minutes later through a heavy deflection earlier than referee Robert Jones brought about bedlam within the sea of sky blue behind the purpose by pointing to the penalty spot having noticed a debatable handball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

VAR confirmed it, Haji Wright tucked it away and for the primary time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s ultimate sport in cost in 2013, United had thrown away a three-goal lead.

With United now apparently decided to grab defeat from the jaws of victory, Wright flashed likelihood broad in additional time and Simms hit the underside of the crossbar.

Solely the VAR strains saved United from shedding to Torp’s purpose within the 121st minute — “I believe it was a toenail offside” Coventry boss Mark Robins mentioned afterwards — however Ten Hag nonetheless needed to thank O’Hare and Ben Sheaf for lacking penalties within the shootout. They’ve most likely stored him in a job for an additional month.

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It mentioned all the things that when Rasmus Højlund scored with the decisive kick to guide a second successive FA Cup ultimate, the celebrations have been muted. If it is doable to be undeserving of victory having led 3-0, then United discovered a method to obtain it.

“We will play at very excessive ranges, however in the identical match we will go to very low ranges and that is not explainable,” Ten Hag mentioned. “On a number of events we let one another down. At the moment we acquired away with it. With all of the accidents, we do not have so many instruments. We do not also have a again 4 of their greatest positions.

“On that half I’ve to present the group a praise, the gamers managed that, they have been ready that isn’t of their greatest. They gave 100%, and it isn’t at all times straightforward to play the perfect soccer if you’re not in your greatest place.”

Ten Hag has been eager to level to the lengthy damage record as the important thing purpose behind the group’s depressing marketing campaign, however though he confronted Coventry with out 10 senior gamers and Casemiro as an auxiliary centre-back, it did not clarify the collapse.

Once more he substituted Alejandro Garnacho within the second half and ceded a component of management. Prior to now month, the Argentine has been changed with United main Chelsea 4-3, main Liverpool 2-1 and main Coventry 3-0, and every time they’ve fallen away.

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Garnacho was nonetheless working when he got here off within the 66th minute, and it was noteworthy that Robins mentioned United started to look “leggy” across the identical time.

United’s new possession group insists no determination has been made on Ten Hag’s future, but when he loses his job in the summertime, it will likely be due to days like this.

He mentioned afterward it was “loopy” to assume that victory in an FA Cup semifinal might need weakened his place as supervisor, however that was the overriding feeling when Højlund’s ultimate penalty nestled within the web.

Nonetheless in cost, no apparent successor and an FA Cup ultimate in opposition to Metropolis to return, there’s nonetheless time for him to show he ought to keep, however struggling previous Coventry solely offered extra compelling arguments that he ought to go.