Football

HARRY MAGUIRE came up trumps to dump his old pals and get Ruben Amorim off the hook.Maguire pounced with the stoppage time header that saw United claw their way back from a nightmare performance and keep their hands on the FA Cup.Harry Maguire saved Man Utd from an FA Cup exitCredit: APThe defender scored the winner in the 93rd minuteCredit: AFPThe United centre back, a Leicester hero for two years, buried Bruno Fernandes’ deep free kick at the far post into the opposite corner.Yet the Foxes were fuming that the free kick was the harshest of hand ball calls against James Justin… and then replays suggested Maguire may even have been offside.With no VAR to bail them out of the mire, though, Leicester were simply out of the FA Cup and Amorim out of jail.Yet don’t let that place in the fifth round mask the grim reality of the night…United got lucky.They were, for all the first half and sizeable chunks of the second, abysmal. Clueless, listless and frankly bloody hopeless.Ruben Amorim may have claimed he let Marcus Rashford leave because the striker couldn’t get to grips with is methods.Well last night he could have got rid of at least half a dozen more, if their performance against the Foxes was anything to go by.Not until Alejandro Garnacho appeared from the bench for the second half was their even a hint of a spark about the men in red.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMan Utd progressed with a last-minute winnerBobby De Cordova-Reid broke the deadlock for Leicester just before half-timeCredit: APJoshua Zirkzee levelled things up for the hostsCredit: APWhen the first chance was an edge-of-the-box snapshot from Jordan Ayew to sting Andre Onana’s palms, most of Old Trafford saw it as an alarm call. It was merely an alarm.United were so dismal, that was as close as we got to a goal from either side for the rest of the half, It was a shocker.Roy Keane launches incredible blast at ‘shocking and boring’ Man Utd after woeful first half vs LeicesterQuite fitting, then, that for a long while the most pulse-raising moment was a cock-up, Mads Hermansen so nearly spilling an inswinging Amad corner over his own line.To think that United had put eight goals past Leicester in their two previous meetings this season. The more mischievous might also claim they had a better manager then, too.In fact the really roguish would probably point out that a Foxes victory would have meant Van Nistelrooy had as many Old Trafford wins to his name as Amorim this season.And three minutes before the break that prospect got a lot closer when Leicester snatched a lead which only went down as a shock because neither side had come near to it before.It came – surprise, surprise – after United, as so often this season, had got themselves in a tizzy deep in their own half and coughed up possession.Instead of taking the safe option and simply clearing his lines, Manuel Ugarte faffed around with a never-on flick and Boubakary Soumare pounced.Keeper Onana stuck out a foot to block Wilfred Ndidi’s point blank sidefoot, yet the ball hit Bobby De Cordova-Reid in the face and flew back over the line.A scrappy goal in the scrappiest of games…no wonder the fans let rip with a chorus of boos. It takes a lot before this bunch turn on their own, but finally they’d cracked.Never mind letting Rashford go because he didn’t buy into the manager’s methods. You could have said the same for half a dozen of them tonight.Maguire was in an offside position for the goalUnited desperately needed a spark, a star, from somewhere and Amorim chucked Garnacho on the from the bench to provide it.The response was hardly immediate, yet midway through the second half Garnacho finally brought Old Trafford to life. United too, just when it was beginning to look a lost cause.Ugarte finally seemed to realise his team-mates were in red by finding the Argentine winger instead of a blue-shirted Fox.Garnacho hared in and hit a shot that clipped Wout Faes and arced over keeper Hermansen towards goal.Yet with 70-plus thousand about to celebrate, Caleb Okoli threw himself back, stuck out a leg and somehow turned the ball against the bar, down onto the line and away.The Leicester centre back celebrated as though he’d just scored the winner at Wembley. Three minutes later he was on his knees, a United finally strung it together.Once more it came from Garnacho with another drive down the left and low cross. And once more it involved a ricochet off Faes, this time from Rasmus Hojlund’s flick.But this time instead of bouncing to safety it rolled oh-so invitingly to Zirkzee and the United substitute, on for Kobbie Mainoo four minutes earlier, couldn’t miss.READ MORE SUN STORIESGarnacho could have teed up a second as Leicester threatened to buckle, too, but chose to shoot from a ridiculously tight angle instead of drilling across the face of goal.Extra time and quite likely penalties it was then…until Maguire proved otherwise. Thank goodness he did – 90 minutes was quite enough! More

LEE DIXON called for Noussair Mazraoui to be docked a week’s wages after a bizarre howler rarely seen in professional football.The Manchester United defender fluffed a throw-in so badly in the dramatic 2-1 FA Cup comeback win over Leicester that every fan could see it was illegal.Noussair Mazraoui dollied an illegal throw-inJust look at the position of Mazraoui’s hands after his howlerIt came as the Red Devils battled for their lives as they trailed to a shock 42nd-minute opener from Bobby De Cordova-Reid.Fortunately for Mazraoui, sub Joshua Zirkzee flashed home an equaliser soon after the centre-back’s “throw faux-pas”.But it didn’t save the Moroccan from a savaging by ex-Arsenal hero Dixon.The former England right-back told ITV: “Absolute foul throw. should be fined a week’s wages for that.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”How can you not throw a ball in?”It appeared Mazraoui was lining up a routine throw down the right flank.But he suddenly slowed up and instead just dollied it a few yards forward from in front of his face.At that stage it summed up United’s plight.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd it followed the strange saga down the same flank of new signing Patrick Dorgu.Old Trafford chief Ruben Amorim stunned fans by starting the left wing-back down his weaker flank.Roy Keane breaks silence on Marcus Rashford’s shock transfer to Aston Villa and has MAJOR concernAnd Dorgu was hauled off at half-time for Alejandro Garnacho.Zirkzee later came on to help the Argentinian winger inspire the Red Devils into belated momentum.And on 68 minutes Garnacho raked in a left-wing cross that Caleb Okoli blocked, only for Zirkzee to sidefoot home.Mazraoui’s defensive partner Harry Maguire then headed a controversial 93rd-minute clincher against his old club. More

MANCHESTER UNITED legend Roy Keane ripped into his former club as they trailed Leicester City 1-0 at half-time.The Red Devils played host to ex-forward Ruud van Nistelrooy and his team at Old Trafford on Friday.Roy Keane ripped into Man Utd for their first-half performance vs LeicesterCredit: GettyBobby De Cordova-Reid fired the visitors into a 1-0 lead just before half-time, sparking a huge rant from Keane on ITV Sport.The ex-United star said: “It’s shocking, really, really poor. you start looking at this United team for all the stats… No shots on target, two shots on target against Crystal Palace.”They’re boring now. You feel like you should go into the Man Utd dressing room and remind them what the game is about – the goal is that end, you have to put the ball in the back of the net.”It’s as if they’re not even aware of it.Read More on Man Utd”Leicester haven’t been that great but they’ve been a bit sharper and they deserve to be in front.”He continued: “No where near good enough. There’s no energy, there’s no energy in the stadium.”The club legend then berated United for being “nowhere near” good enough.Keane said: “It sums up United – they’re giving it away cheaply, people are not staying with their runners. Good reaction from Leicester.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”But I’m looking at it from United’s point of view and thinking, my goodness, is this what it’s come to? Nowhere near good enough.”United failed to register a single shot on target during the first half against Leicester.Ruben Amorim reveals reason he axed Ruud van Nistelrooy from Man Utd coaching staff January signing Patrick Dorgu also struggled to impress after being played out of position and was hauled off at half-time.Manchester United might have been listening in, as their second half performance was much improved.Joshua Zirkzee and a controversial Harry Maguire winner were enough to turn the tie, which ended 2-1. More

STUNNED Manchester United fans hit out after new boy Patrick Dorgu was thrown straight into the team – but OUT of position.And after a woeful display he was HOOKED at half-time.Patrick Dorgu was used as rarely seen beforeCredit: GettyDorgu was soon battling it out with Leicester’s Jordan AyewCredit: ReutersSome fans reckoned Dorgu looked more comfortable as the game went onCredit: AFPThe Dane started at home to Leicester in the FA Cup at RIGHT wing-back.Yet the 20-year-old was signed as a long-term solution for United’s perennial problems in defence down the OPPOSITE flank.So when here was deployed on what most people reckon is his weaker side, viewers couldn’t contain their bemusement.One blasted, “WTF is going on” and another posted: “Don’t think Dorgu suits it.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLHe struggled to make an impact on the game and Manchester United went into the half-time break trailing 1-0.Amorim had seen enough, replacing Dorgu with Alejandro Garnacho during the break.Dorgu’s debut came just a day after after his old club Lecce claimed the Red Devils had given them a “now or never ultimatum” over his transfer.The Italians had vowed to keep their hot prospect until the summer.Most read in FA CupCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMany observers were then surprised to see him instantly earn a place in Amorim’s team for Friday’s fourth-round tie.Amorim fielded three centre-backs, with Dorgu in front of the trio on one flank and Diogo Dalot on the left.Which Manchester United stars should stay and go?The deadline recruit was rated highly in Serie A for his attacking forays.And after watching his Old Trafford bow, one cynical observer wrote: “Has Dorgu set up two and scored yet? Oh, he’s playing right wing back, you say?”Many fans simply couldn’t understand Amorim’s tactics.One blasted: “Why should Amorim start Dorgu at the right back and yet we have Dalot!”This Amorim is like he doesn’t want help, buying a left back player and putting him out of position at his debut is really wrong.”But some viewers reckoned Dorgu looked pretty comfortable.One insisted: “Dorgu knows what he’s doing but Dalot doesn’t.”READ MORE SUN STORIESSpeaking at half-time, Manchester United legend Roy Keane also raised the issue of him playing out of position, and questioned if it was “unfair” on the newbie to be given that role for his debut.Amorim’s change was vindicated, with replacement Garnacho shining and inspiring a comeback from the Red Devils who won 2-1. More