THE FA CUP might just prove Manchester United’s salvation once again – 32 years on.
It was back in 1990 when the then just Alex Ferguson, was long short of a knighthood and hanging on to his job at Old Trafford.
But a run to the final and victory in a replay over Crystal Palace proved the catalyst for all that was to come.
It was just before that run got going that a banner was held up at Old Trafford calling for Fergie to go.
This is probably the lowest point the club has been at since then.
It says something about far United has fallen that the supporters are now clinging to this competition to provide some salvation in a season that threatens to end in mid-table mediocrity.
That is unless they have plans to win the Champions League – no I don’t think so either.
Victory last night came through an eighth minute Scott McTominay header but Aston Villa will feel hard done by as they were the better side.
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Their 50th minute ‘equaliser’ ruled out by a lengthy VAR decision leaving them with a huge sense of injustice.
Ralf Rangnick will have just been happy for the win, achieved without Cristiano Ronaldo who had a hip injury, although there was now discernible difference either way in performance due to his absence.
This was gritty, but not great.
Still the 12 times winners of the competition are into the next round and a home meeting with Middlesbrough that should open the door to the fifth round.
United began the game on the front foot and were ahead after only eight minutes through McFred.
The much maligned midfield twosome combined to good effect as Fred delivered a superb inswinging cross with his left foot and McTominay added the nod it needed to help it in.
‘VAR took far too long’ – Mark Halsey
By Mark Halsey
STEVEN GERRARD will be very frustrated to see Danny Ings’ equaliser ruled out for a block by Jacob Ramsey on Edinson Cavani.
The Aston Villa midfielder did move into Cavani’s path and block the Manchester United striker from heading the ball clear.
Ramsey was standing in an offside position from John McGinn’s free-kick and that is not an offence in itself.
But Ramsey’s movement impacted on the ability of Cavani to challenge for the ball.
That meant the Villa player interfered with an opponent in accordance to Law 11: Offside.
The controversy is it took far too long for VAR and referee Michael Oliver to come to a decision.
And it’s also not fair that only FA Cup ties at Premier League grounds have VAR and others don’t. It is bringing the integrity of the competition into question.
Yet from that moment on to the break it was Aston Villa who were on top and wondering how they weren’t level by the break.
Manager Steven Gerrard had turned and stared down the Stretford End when he got a predictable welcome when he came out and his team were not deterred by the Old Trafford crowd and experience either as they piled on the pressure.
From Douglas Luiz corner, Victor Lindelof almost provided an unwanted assist by nodding it on and Ollie Watkins just could not reach it at the far post.
Emiliano Buendia’s run and cross shot just needed a touch too but Danny Ings could not reach it.
John McGinn’s long range effort was palmed away by David De Gea.
Then when Lindelof failed to control a long punt forward by Tyrone Mings, Watkins was in. He turned back inside the retreating United defence and released a shot that crashed off the post with De Gea beaten.
Gerrard was holding his head in his hands in despair, when would their reward come?
United were rattled but at least got back in the game just before the break with long range shots from Luke Shaw and McTominay reminding Villa that they still possessed their own threat.
It was a good first half between two strong sides.
They both wanted this and five minutes after the interval Villa thought they were level
McGinn delivered an inswinging free kick which Ezri Konsa headed back across goal with the ball going in off Ings.
It was eventually ruled out, but it wasn’t clear whether it was offside, handball or a foul by Jacob Ramsey on Edinson Cavani.
In the end it was the latter but the fans in the stadium were non the wiser
Villa’s sense of injustice was compounded when the flag went up to deny them shortly after play was restarted when this time Ings was rightly adjudged to be offside when he broke through before feeding Watkins who side footed home.
The visitors were not giving up and Matthew Cash’s thunderous shot to the near top corner was turned away by the ever alert De Gea.
United responded but when Marcus Rashford had a shot spilled there was no effort from Rashford to leap on the loose ball ahead of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez much to the annoyance of the Stretford End.
Still United held out as the game petered out
A huge banner above the tunnel was unfurled before kick-off with images of Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane with the word ‘Standards’.
They are nowhere near those demanded by this club and these fans.
Still a win is a win and that is about all you can say for it.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
