LONDON – Manchester United have reached the FA Cup final, but the way they have come through City of Coventry It will do nothing for Erik ten Hag's prospects of remaining as manager.
If anything, the fans who walked out of Wembley and returned to Manchester after watching their team win on penalties at the end of a dramatic day will be more convinced than ever that the Dutchman is no longer the man for the job. United were leading 3-0 before allowing Coventry to score three times in the final 20 minutes, including an equalizer in the 95th minute, resulting in a penalty shootout in a 3-3 draw.
The Championship side were the better team in extra time and thought they had completed one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks ever Victor Torp They found the net with the final kick only to have their celebrations ended by VAR and the harshest of offside calls. In the end, it was more heartbreaking at Wembley than on penalties for Coventry, who lost on penalties to Luton Town in last season's Championship play-off final.
– Stream the replay on ESPN+: Man United vs. Coventry City (US only)
Meanwhile, United will qualify for the final against Manchester City, in a repeat of last season's match. Ten Hag is likely to be on the touchline alongside Pep Guardiola on May 25, but there is growing doubt that he will still be at Old Trafford next season.
“Mixed feelings, that's clear,” Ten Hag said when asked to sum up the day. “It's an achievement to reach the FA Cup final twice in two years. In the last 20 years, United have reached the final five times, but now we've reached it twice in two years. It's a huge achievement.”
“When you're in control and you're in control and you're 3-0 up, we have to win it. The way we didn't do it wasn't good. From 70 minutes until the end we made mistakes.”
So what would Sir Jim Ratcliffe think? The 71-year-old United co-owner was in the stands after completing the London Marathon hours earlier, but watching Ten Hag's team in the second half was his toughest experience of the day.
The game appeared to be over in the 58th minute when Bruno Fernandes scored United's third goal, but the Red Devils then inexplicably decided to remind everyone just how weak they were.
For most of the afternoon, Coventry played like a team happy to have a break from the Championship, having lost three of their past four matches. But for once Ellis Sims They pulled a goal back in the 71st minute, United were starting to creak and crack, and Coventry took advantage.
Callum O'Hare He got a second goal eight minutes later via a wild deflection before referee Robert Jones caused pandemonium in the sea of blue skies behind the goal by pointing to the spot after spotting a controversial handball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
It was confirmed by VAR, overruled by Hajj Wright, and for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's final game in 2013, United squandered a three-goal lead.
With United now seemingly determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Wright fired a good chance wide in extra time and Sims fired the shot against the underside of the bar.
Only VAR lines saved United from losing to Torp's 121st-minute goal – Coventry manager Mark Robins said afterwards: “I think it was a toenail offside” – but Ten Hag still has O'Hare and Ben Sheff To miss penalty kicks. They probably kept him on the job for an extra month.
2:33
Burley: I'm worried about Manchester United in the FA Cup final
Craig Burley is very concerned about Manchester United facing Manchester City in the FA Cup final after beating Coventry on penalties.
It said it all, when Rasmus Hoglund scored from the decisive kick to secure a second successive FA Cup final, the celebrations were muted. If it was possible to not deserve to win after going 3-0 up, United found a way to make it happen.
“We can play at very high levels, but in the same match we can reach very low levels and this is inexplicable,” Ten Hag said. “On several occasions we let each other down. Today we got away with it. With all the injuries, we don't have a lot of tools. We don't even have four players in the back line in their best positions.
“In this aspect, I have to praise the team, the players did it, and they were in a situation that was not their best. They gave 100%, and it is not always easy to play your best football when you are not in your best situation.”
Ten Hag was keen to point to a long injury list as the main reason behind the team's miserable season, but although they faced Coventry without 10 senior players and Casemiro as a backup centre-back, that did not explain the collapse.
Once again, he replaced Alejandro Garnacho in the second half and ceded control. Last month, the Argentine was replaced with United leading Chelsea 4-3, leading Liverpool 2-1 and leading Coventry 3-0, and each time they fell behind.
Garnacho was still running when he came off in the 66th minute, and it's worth noting that Robins said United were starting to look “leggy” around the same time.
United's new ownership team insist no decision has been made on Ten Hag's future, but if he loses his job in the summer, it will be because of days like this.
He said afterwards that it was “crazy” to think that an FA Cup semi-final win would diminish his position as manager, but that was the feeling when Hoglund's final penalty slotted home.
Still in charge, with no clear successor and the FA Cup final against City, there is still time to prove he should stay, but his struggles against Coventry have only provided a more convincing case that he should leave.
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
