Reaction ...
Some Barney Ronay ...
Jamie Jackson was at Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks.
Brilliant. When we went down, we really played some good stiff in periods. Towards the end there are always moments but we kept them away. Great goal. The free kicks I think he stayed about 45 minutes yesterday practicing free kicks. He’s never happy with me when I tell him to go inside because he’s playing. So he got some practice. [Rashford] His knee was bothering him. We’ll scan tomorrow and we’ll see how we are.
Bruno Fernandes, the match-winner off the bench speaks.
I’m happy because we win, nothing more. Most important was going to the next round. It doesn’t matter who scores but if I score I am happy. I work hard on free kicks. Cavani told me two try on the other side of the keeper. We played well, 90 minutes was a good game for both teams. We pressed them more in the league. This is everything, a dream come true, playing for this big club in the Premier League. I know now the fans are happy and will have a good week.
This was how the winner came.
WHAT A HIT!
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 24, 2021
Bruno Fernandes 👏
Watch Man Utd v Liverpool in the #FACup LIVE on @BBCOne, @BBCiPlayer and online: https://t.co/bt0ZES1Qac#MUNLIV #bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/m0GxrWxVCN
Full-time: Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool
Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick won it for United, and it came just as they were rocking. Mohamed Salah’s two goals were in vain. And Ole has his first win over Liverpool. That was a great game, football the winner, as was the FA Cup.
90+3 min: Trent takes, and there’s a crowd scene. Pogba heads back out, and Salah’s shot is well wide. It would have been miraculous if he had scored from that.
90+2 min: Liverpool pushing on and on. And United back and keeping their shape, and pushing up too. Jones escapes down the wing and is legged up by Pogba. A free-kick in a dangerous position.
90 min: There will be four minutes of time added on. Pogba and Wan-Bissaka have to play head tennis to clear some Liverpool danger. Origi goes down, and that delays matters. He will be OK to continue.
89 min: United making use of the counter. And Cavani rattles the post from a superb cross from Fernandes. That would have sealed it. Then, Lindelof is booked for a foul on Origi that stops a Liverpool counter.
87 min: United are up in numbers but Martial is lax. He attempts a dummy when the best advice would be to retain possession. That takes Liverpool back down the other end.
86 min: United change: Rashford off and Martial on. Rasha heads down the tunnel with something of a limp. A worry for Ole.
85 min: Liverpool try to find their way back in. A chip for Origii finds its way to Henderson in United’s goal.
83 min: Wan-Bissaka cuts off a ball aimed for a bursting Mané. It’s a Liverpool corner. Shaqiri’s kick is cleared. The ball comes out to Milner who drifts his pass over everyone.
Updated
82 min: Off go Thiago and Firmino, on come Origi and Shaqiri,
81 min: Rashford’s shot saved by Alisson from a Wan-Bissaka cross, though the offside flag was up. Wan-Bissaka then buccaneers up the right on a jinking run, only for the ball to be cleared.
79 min: Pogba’s movement in the wall opened up space and Alisson was beaten. Might he have done better?
Goal! Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool (Fernandes, 78)
Cavani is pulled down as he spins off Fabinho. Free-kick chance on the edge of the box. Bruno will take this one. He talks to himself - or a higher power - as he prepares himself. There is a lengthy delay and he scores...that’s brilliant.
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75 min: Snapshot from Salah, as he cuts in from the right and tries to beat Henderson at the near post. Henderson is equal to that one.
74 min: Trent tries to get Mané in with a Rashford-style pass. It whistles past. Then Pogba charges along and his cross is straight at Alisson. It’s a poor cross and Pogba yelps in anguish.
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72 min: Thiago volleys over after Firmino causes real problems for United’s defence. They just can’t get out of their own half.
71 min: Bruno tries one? Or does he? It was a cross aimed for Cavani and it had Alisson scrabbling.
70 min: A yellow card for Mané when he follows through in a tackle on Fred. Had he lost control? Perhaps. An orange card for me, Clive.
69 min: Cavani is chasing shadows on his own up front. United just can’t get a grip up there. Liverpool have been so crisp in their passing.
67 min: Firmino releases Salah and it takes a good save from Henderson to clear the danger. Perhaps Salah might have played in Mané but he was on a hat-trick.
66 min: Here we go. Bruno comes on, as does Fred. Off go Van de Beek and Mason Greenwood.
65 min: The stats tell us that Liverpool have had 78% of possession in the last ten minutes.
64 min: United’s turn to try and build up patiently. Shaw’s pass inside catches Van de Beek unawares. He will surely make way for Bruno soon enough.
62 min: Off goes Wijnaldum, on comes Mané to get the band back together. Whither Bruno?
61 min: Thiago sets up Trent, and he warms the hands of Henderson. Liverpool want another. And Mané is imminent too.
60 min: Liverpool just let out the throttle again and got their reward. Both teams have been ruthless in punishing defensive mistakes.
Goal! Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool (Salah, 59)
Maguire’s pass catches Cavani napping, and Liverpool push on. Milner’s stepover allows Salah a shot on goal. It goes through Henderson’s legs.
Updated
58 min: United appear happy to sit back on and wait for the counter. It’s been a successful policy so far...but Milner suddenly finds a way through. Firmino nods on from Thiago and Milner misses badly.
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56 min: Liverpool play some patient passing. That was their route to goal in the first half but United get back in numbers. Liverpool’s movement is lacking compared to their opponent.
54 min: United have also gained control of midfield. Rashford finds Cavani, whose flick is on to Greenwood, who has to check back but there is clearly an keen understanding between United’s forwards.
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52 min: Fabinho falls and in doing so his leg catches Rashford. There’s a contretemps but the ref waves play back on.
50 min: Not to scapegoat, and he’s a young player of real promise but Rhys Williams has made a number of errors and keeps ending up on the deck. Liverpool need centre-backs.
49 min: Very similar goals from United, very similar mistakes from Liverpool.
Goal! Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool (Rashford, 48)
Greenwood’s ball is perfect, and Williams drops a howler to let Rashford through to finish so confidently.
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48 min: It’s started at a similar pace to how it finished the first half, which is good. Extra time not wanted by either team.
47 min: Chris gets in touch: “Re. David Peru. Haven’t Coronavirus restrictions sucked enough joy out of life already? Do we really need to prevent 20 year olds in peak physical condition from hugging, when they’ve been jostling in the six yard box just moments earlier? What’s the point?”
Ian Copestake says: “Players are in a bubble. They can French kiss in celebration if they wish.”
Allan Saint-Maximin and Jamaal Lascelles may disagree with some of that.
46 min: And back away we go...
By the way, this game has been 10 times better than last week’s sludge. See, the FA Cup can be magic.
Adam Roberts says he can’t be the only United fan who:
“1) at 42 minutes thought ‘that’s the choice - Pogba or Shaw?’
2) has his heart in his mouth every time Pogba doesn’t unload quickly and lingers on the ball. He is so frustrating.”
Some FA Cup reports:
David Peru makes a serious point: “Why is no-one complaining about footballers hugging in couples and groups? Guidelines have been issued, yet there is no attempt to stop the practice by the match officials, the coaching staffs or even to mention it by commentators. Introduce fines or bookings and it will soon stop.”
Robert Lin comes in praise: “Not a ManU fan but it’s nice to see Mason Greenwood back on the scoresheet. Hopefully he can push on from here and rekindle the form he showed last season.”
Malc in Germany: “If this game gets abandoned because of bad behaviour (Ole slapping Jürgen, for example) would the replay be played behind closed doors?”
And Mary Waltz: “I understand. The economic benefits of the Champions League and the PL title has relegated the FA cup to the sidelines. I know this is a business. But the romantic in me mourns this spitting on tradition and in the long run football is poorer for it. Some things shouldn’t be judged solely by spreadsheets and accountants.”
Half-time: Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool
Two great finishes from two players who had previously been out of scoring touch. After Mason Greenwood’s equaliser, United have been the better team, the more threatening team. Luke Shaw has been great.
45 min+1: One minute added on in which Greenwood tees up Pogba to shoot wide.
44 min: McTominay escapes from Jones, Shaw gets to the byline, and the cross into the centre causes chaos. McTominay arrives on the scene and his shot is blocked by a raft of Liverpool defenders. It was numbers rather than organisation that kept him out.
42 min: Fabinho is caught by a poor Alisson pass. He fouls Greenwood, it was heavy one. He is booked for that, deservedly so. United free-kick in a dangerous position. No Bruno to take it. Pogba takes instead but it’s well wide.
40 min: Liverpool get a corner and United deal with that a little more comfortably than the opposing defence. Milner smashes wide on the rebound.
39 min: Rashford falls over Thiago as he makes a burst on to the ball after another attack set up by a flying Shaw. United looking more confident now if still a little short of fluency.
37 min: Shaw, who has been busy, now forces another United corner. He takes it and McTominay heads over. United are winning the ball every time at set pieces. That’s what happens when all your centre backs are crocked.
35 min: A slight delay as Rashford gets to his feet. Luke Shaw whips in a cross. Williams heads behind. Shaw takes the corner and Pogba is free and heads wide. That was a big chance.
33 min: Maguire forced to knock behind when a ball is lofted to Firmino. Liverpool take the corner quickly and lose the ball almost as quickly. Thiago fouls Rashford.
31 min: Liverpool much the crisper in midfield still. Thiago leading that effort, and Klopp has been asking his players to give him the ball.
30 min: There are those who say Marcus Rashford isn’t very good at passing, lacks vision. Those two passes - for Greenwood and then Van de Beek - rather disprove such theories.
28 min: Van de Beek sent through by Rashford, and he falls down and cries out for a penalty. Liverpool’s players are not impressed by that.
27 min: A fine goal from United, wholly against the run of play. Andy Robertson tried to put Greenwood off by shouting in his ear.
Goal! Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool (Greenwood, 26)
Paul Pogba starts the move with a great tackle. Van de Beek to Rashford, whose pass goes all the way to Greenwood on the opposite flank. He doesn’t miss from there.
Updated
25 min: Thiago and Rashford clash of heads. No, in fact, Thiago caught Rasha with his elbow. Accidentally, it should be added.
24 min: Jones felled by McTominay, and a free-kick in a dangerous position. There’s a few candidates for this one, to be taken from the left-hand side. Trent takes, and it’s over. He still looks a little off it.
23 min: United look ragged and keep losing possession in midfield. Liverpool look freshly enthused. Jones has a shot from distance. Henderson deals with it. A second Liverpool goal is far likelier than a United equaliser.
21 min: Pogba loose in possession and United can ill afford that against a Liverpool team who look refreshed.
20 min: Great pass from Firmino; that’s what he’s in the team for, lest we forget.
Goal! Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool (Salah, 19)
That was more like Liverpool. Wijnaldum sets up Firmino who slides in Salah, who dinks the ball over Henderson. That was not great defending from United.
Updated
18 min: Shaw takes a United corner that Pogba should have got better contact on.
17 min: Niall O’Keefe has got in touch: “There is a Gulf War flak jacket thing going on with Liverpool’s dodgy shirt. Maybe they need to adopt a siege mentality which Fergie deployed so effectively.”
Yes, can see Corey Pavin wearing it with pride.
16 min: Cavani chasing back hard to stop a Liverpool attack gaining momentum. It’s fair to say he tracks back harder than Anthony Martial.
15 min: Both teams have had openings. It’s been more exciting than last week. Then again, so was filling out a tax return.
14 min: A mistake in midfield by Williams is seized on by Cavani. The ball ends up with Greenwood who cuts in, and shoots, and shoots wide.
12 min: Van de Beek is sent away down the flank and could run in at goal. Instead, he cuts back. Louis van Gaal, watching in his Portuguese paradise, likes this.
10 min: Greenwood scampers away by Williams and goes it alone. He had teammates to pass to and Alisson gets it clear. That sets up a Liverpool counter from which Trent pings in a cross that Dean Henderson does very well to get away from danger.
Updated
9 min: Liverpool do press this time, with Jones up in Wan-Bissaka’s grill. But all he can win is a goal kick.
“Yes, Maguire has worked hard. He probably needs a break. Maybe a few days on a Greek island would do him some good?” says Matt.
7 min: Rashford tries to get Cavani away but Alisson reads the danger. Maguire is clattered by Milner and advantage is played, one that United don’t make too much of.
6 min: A neat interchange in United midfield but they decide to hold on to possession. These early stages were always likely to be cagey. Liverpool’s press is not hugely aggressive though Jürgen Klopp can be heard on the sidelines.
4 min: United force a corner. Rashford got down the left-hand channel and the ball is played back before Pogba loses the ball. Shaw takes and Liverpool clear with ease.
3 min: Van de Beek playing off the right, and he is the target for a Lindelof pass that whacks off the linesman.
2 min: Curtis Jones is playing as part of Liverpool’s front three. They begin on the front foot, with Wijnaldum playing in Alexander-Arnold on the right before Thiago has a shot blocked.
1 min: The players take the knee and Van de Beek takes the first touch.
James Milner captains Liverpool and his coin toss with Harry Maguire sees the teams swap ends. That means Liverpool will attack the Stretford End in the second half, a contrast to the 1999 tie.
Liverpool’s players take to the field, then followed by the Manchester United players, to the vocals of Ian Brown, local lockdown sceptic, and the Stone Roses’ This Is The One.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær speaks.
I think it’s one of the most iconic FA Cup ties you can ask for and we know it’s going to be a difficult one. It can give you momentum and belief like it did in 1999. I was only on the pitch for two minutes and had three touches. I took the ball off Scholesey and scored; great memories for me. [no Bruno?] Rotation in the squad. Donny needs to play games and he’s done nothing wrong around the club and I am looking forward to seeing him there. It’s a big game. We don’t think about getting a trophy but the league is the bread and butter and that’s where we saw the real progress.
Jürgen Klopp speaks.
It would be great [to get back on form], that’s the way we want to approach it. It would be great [to get Mo and Firmino back firing] There’s a lot off work to do, we cannot just focus on individual targets. We want to win a game against a tough opponent and go far inn a competition where we have not even been close to a final. We cannot go in a game and thinking scoring goals and we have to do some defending quite frequently as well.
A reminder that Jürgen Klopp has never been past the fifth round in this competition. He’s preferred to focus on other stuff but this time, his reserves are players he has already made much use of. Let’s face it, Minamino is yet to be a success and Divock Origi wasn’t too good against Burnley.
That’s quite a lot of heading and chasing.
Today is Harry Maguire's 93rd start for club or country since the start of last season. A monstrous workload.
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) January 24, 2021
Manchester United: Henderson, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Pogba, McTominay, Greenwood, van de Beek, Rashford, Cavani.
Subs: de Gea, Mata, Martial, Fred, Bruno Fernandes, James,
Alex Telles, Matic, Tuanzebe.
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Rhys Williams, Fabinho, Robertson, Milner, Thiago, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Jones.
Subs: Mane, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino, Tsimikas, Shaqiri,
Origi, Phillips, Kelleher, Neco Williams.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
Donny Van de Beek, Scott McTominay come in for Bruno Fernandes and Fred and Marcus Rashford come into the starting line-up, as do Dean Henderson for David de Gea and Victor Lindelof for Eric Bailly.
For Liverpool, Rhys Williams, James Milner, Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Curtis Jones are brought in for Joel Matip, Sadio Mané, Divock Origi, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Xherdan Shaqiri.
One of the reasons why Klopp may have opted for that strong forward line.
Old Trafford. #LFC’s season in urgent need of a boost. Jurgen Klopp yet to oversee a victory here. Four draws and a defeat in his five visits as Liverpool boss. pic.twitter.com/0cW6q5JTG6
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) January 24, 2021
Remember when an FA Cup fixture between these clubs would be the biggest match around?
That looks a stronger Liverpool team than United team. Perhaps Ole is concentrating on the league after all, and Jürgen Klopp sees the FA Cup as some kind of salvation. Ole may also wish to avoid semi-finals too, but United look there for the taking, and yes, that’s probably because there is no Bruno.
Here are the teams.
🚨 𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎 🚨
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 24, 2021
Ole makes 5️⃣ changes to his #MUFC starting XI 💪
🏆 #FACup
Here’s how we line up against @ManUtd 👊#MUNLIV | #FACup
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 24, 2021
Preamble
Manchester United have regrets from last week’s 0-0 draw at Anfield. Post-match, Paul Pogba, annoyed with himself, admitted to his colleagues that he should have scored late on, and Liverpool really did look there for the taking, as Burnley would prove on Thursday. Would an FA Cup win serve as consolation? Not quite, the competition no longer holds the high yield it did when Ole Gunnar Solskjær was scoring his 1999 fourth-round winner - Jürgen Klopp has not shown much desire to win the competition - but it could add to Liverpool’s sense of crisis. Conversely, a Liverpool win would remind United of which team is the daddy now. All eyes should be on the team sheets; Liverpool’s resting much of their forward line against Burnley either suggested a newfound desire to win the FA Cup or that Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are knackered. Does Ole play Bruno Fernandes? Would Bruno Fernandes complain if he was rested? The evidence of last week’s muttering to himself at Anfield suggests so. Still, this is undoubtedly the tie of the round and can’t possibly be a worse game than last week. Can it?
Kick-off is 5pm UK time. Join me.
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