Key events
Semi-final draw
Ian Wright does the honours in the ITV studio. Coventry are first out of the bag and they will play Man United. So Chelsea will play Man City.
A teenage superstar writes.
An old Guardian hand writes.
So much to detest about football in 2024, but then you get a match like that seven-goal FA Cup QF at Old Trafford. Glorious chaos. Wonderful spirit. Fabulous mix of refined skills and human fallibility. Last-gasp drama. A neutral’s thanks to both teams.
— Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) March 17, 2024
“Dearest Tim,” says Mac Millings, which probably means I’m about to be told off. “Bruno Fernandes did not (24 min) find ‘the wrong side of the roof of the net’ — he found the roof of the net. Had it been on the other side, he would have found the ceiling of the net. Yours always, Mac Millings.” Ha.
United finished the game with only two recognised defenders – Maguire and Dalot. Graeme Souness can’t believe it.
Amo, amas, Amad.
Amad’s game by numbers vs. Liverpool:
100% pass accuracy
10/10 passes completed
3/4 tackles won
1 yellow
1 red
1 goal1 ticket to the FA Cup Semi-Finals. 🥳🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/mU87VRC6Hx
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) March 17, 2024
A reminder that these two teams meet again, same place, same time, on Sunday 7 April. I wonder if Amad will get on the pitch.
For a calm appraisal of what just happened, we go live to a senior United supporter. “We’re on our way to Wembley,” says Eric Frank Anderson. “E yah adeoo. Eat your sausage, Jurgen. Mamma mia, wonders never cease!”
So the FA Cup semi-finalists are … Man City, Man United, Chelsea and Coventry. The draw follows shortly.
Rashford, who rose to the occasion at both ends of the game, joins Fernandes, United’s new centre-back, to talk to ITV. “Huge occasion,” Rashford says. “We’ve not had the season we wanted, but … it’s a massive night in the history of United.”
The magic of the Cup. Ten Hag is smiling as if he’s just been to Klopp’s dentist.
FULL TIME! United 4-3 Liverpool
It’s over. Klopp has a hug for Erik ten Hag, who still has his job.
124 min I have no idea how much time is left…
Red card for Amad!
The corner was headed away by McTominay. Amad won the ball on the edge of the United area and raced away with Garnacho. The pass came late, but not too late, as Amad calmly found the far corner. Amad then got sent off, apparently for taking his shirt off. It’s bedlam.
GOALLLLL! United 4-3 Liverpool (Amad 121)
The corner backfires.
120 min And Liverpool have a corner! Dalot had to concede it after doing well to get a tackle in.
119 min Garnacho and Antony threaten to stage an escape down the United left. Bradley (I think) stops it with a foul on Garnacho. We are into Van Dijk time.
118 min Tsimikas hits a skimming cross, possibly a shot, that tests Onana. He passes the test.
117 min Rashford and McTominay combine again. This time Rashford is the supplier, with a neat low cross; McTominay’s shot is just wide.
116 min United sub: Mason Mount for Lindelof. Antony is now left-back!
115 min Mac Allister fouls Maguire on the Liverpool left … but the decision goes the other way.
Fernandes launched the ball forward from his new spot at centre-back. McTominay did well, feeding Rashford, who produced that cool side-foot slot into the corner that he loves. It’s his third goal in successive games.
GOAL! United 3-3 Liverpool (Rashford 112)
He’s done it.
110 min United’s best hope is Eriksen finding Rashford. He does so now and Rashford plays the Hojlund role, holding the ball up, winning a free kick. United pile upfield and Maguire has a shot, straight at the keeper. Liverpool counter, only for Nunez to be pickpocketed by Amad. We’re back where we began – end to end.
108 min Fernandes plays on for now, deep in defence, and almost hands Liverpool a gift with a misplaced pass. Ten Hag does some yelling. Kelleher gets a yellow card for time-wasting.
107 min As the game re-starts, United have another problem: Bruno Fernandes is hobbling. Have they got any subs left? I’ve lost count. The answer seems to be yes, as you can have a sixth sub in extra time.
HALF-TIME IN EXTRA TIME: United 2-3 Liverpool
United were the better team in those 15 minutes, but their formation is now built on blind hope, and it allowed Elliott to take his time and get his slice of luck.
106 min Rashford goes close! After a fine run, he shoots right across goal, and wonders where Antony and Amad are.
It was an action replay of Mac Allister’s goal. Another decent shot, made to look better by a killer deflection.
GOAL! United 2-3 Liverpool (Elliott 105)
Back in front!
103 min Rashford goes close again! But he’s offside, after being sent clear by Fernandes’ neat chip.
102 min Another United attack brings only another Liverpool free kick.
101 min Liverpool sub: Tsimikas for Gomez.
“Watching this game,” says Paul Griffin, “you sense a Bruno Fernandes’ book entitled ‘On Leadership’ would not unduly trouble the best-seller lists, or revolutionise thinking around getting things done.” Ha.
100 min Lindelof hits a screamer into the side netting! Now I’ve seen it all.
99 min The corner yields a shot from Garnacho, blocked. The ball goes all the way to Onana and back again. Maguire, in the inside-left channel, hooks a cross over to Rashford, which Kelleher is able to grab.
98 min Garnacho, released by Amad, takes on Bradley and wins a corner.
97 min Antony tries another shot, into the traffic. Amad tries to mop up the loose ball but commits a foul. On xG, United are actually ahead, by something like 1.96 to 1.65.
93 min Liverpool weave a few patterns with their passing and Mac Allister has a free header, just over.
92 min United seem to have a back three – Dalot, Lindelof, Maguire. Fernandes has dropped deep next to Eriksen, with McTominay ahead of them and a front four of Antony, Amad, Rashford and Garnacho – two right-wingers and two left.
91 min Play resumes with everyone trying to work out what United’s formation is… And Antony comes close to another one! It’s his trademark shot, left-foot, over the bar.
