Synopsis
Leicester's Ruud van Nistelrooy was disheartened after a controversial 2-1 loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup. Harry Maguire's late goal, which raised offside concerns, propelled United into the next round amid heated debates.Key Takeaways
- Leicester's manager Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed disappointment over officiating.
- Harry Maguire scored a controversial injury-time winner for United.
- No VAR was available in the FA Cup to review the offside call.
- Leicester initially took the lead through Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
- United improved in the second half after key substitutions.
Manchester, Feb 8 (NationPress) Leicester's manager Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed his disappointment following a contentious 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup round of 16 on Friday. United's Harry Maguire scored a late winner during injury time, raising significant questions about his potential offside position.
With no VAR present in the FA Cup matches, the goal remained valid, allowing United to progress to the next round and marking their third home victory against Leicester this season.
“This (loss) was unnecessary,” Van Nistelrooy commented to the media. “This was half a meter (offside). If we had gone to extra time, anything could happen. We deserved to go into extra time and potentially penalties. Decisions like these are tough to accept at our level.”
Leicester initially took the lead just before halftime with a goal from Bobby De Cordova-Reid. Manuel Ugarte was dispossessed near the sideline, allowing Bilai El Khannouss to deliver a low cross that Wilfred Ndidi aimed at goal, deflecting off De Cordova-Reid.
United, under the guidance of new coach Ruben Amorim, faced challenges in the first half, failing to pick up pace or create significant opportunities. However, the introduction of substitutes Alejandro Garnacho and Joshua Zirkzee in the second half changed the dynamics. Garnacho's lively performance on the left led to Zirkzee's equalizer in the 68th minute, where the Dutch striker secured an easy finish.
Just as the game appeared to head for extra time, Bruno Fernandes sent a long ball into the penalty area, where Maguire headed in the decisive goal in the final moments. The absence of an offside call sparked outrage from Leicester players and staff, but without VAR, the goal stood.
Maguire praised United's performance in the second half and acknowledged Garnacho's influence. “(It was a) great conclusion to the match,” Maguire stated.
“We performed better in the second half. The first half was far from satisfactory, we played slowly and struggled to find our rhythm.
“He (Garnacho) always makes a significant impact when he comes on, so he deserves credit for being ready and focused.”
