February 05, (THEWILL) – Manchester United’s hopes for a silverware were cut by one as the FA Cup journey ended abruptly with a heartbreaking loss to a championship side even with the inclusion of heavy-hitters like Marcus Rashford, Cristiano Ronaldo and compatriot Bruno Fernandes, underlining the enormity of the task that faces German caretaker manager Ralf Rangnick.
United’s pursuit of another FA Cup title, which they last won in 2016 against Crystal Palace by 2-1 after extra time, will have to be postponed for another year. Perhaps it is better to get the heartbreak over with as soon as possible.
Even with that consolation, it is yet difficult to find any silver linings in the Middlesbrough defeat at home, in what used to be the fortress of Old Trafford. After extra time, the game was tied 1-1, and United went on to lose 8-7 on penalties.
United had looked dominant early on, but following a contentious equaliser, control turned to panic and it is understandable that it left United supporters enraged and forlorn about the prospects of their club going forward.
Unfortunately, there is no comfort for United supporters, who have, admittedly, had a particularly trying week. Following the shocking reports that surfaced last Sunday hinging on charges of domestic violence, Mason Greenwood, their once-brilliant footballer and upcoming icon has been virtually removed from the squad for the foreseeable future.
Fans could have welcomed an FA Cup consolation for the travails of the season and it remained United’s best chance of overcoming their trophy hoodoo. Now, only a tiny chance of winning the Champions League remains to keep the team from going trophyless for the fifth consecutive season.
The game was the first of seven this month, and after winning two games in a row before the break, United had a chance to really get going and carry on that momentum further. It appeared that way for the first 30 minutes or so, and then United faded away.
Now, all of United’s momentum has vanished, and the team is back in crisis mode with this upsetting loss. A fight for a spot in the top four is not exactly motivating to hang on to for the remainder of the season because the loss has all but finalised the fact that in May, there will be no trip to Wembley Stadium.
United should not have lost this game against Championship rivals at home. Middlesbrough competed hard and played well and defended well. This game, however, was as much about United blowing it as it was about Boro winning it.
United supporters have long been dissatisfied with this collection of players. This season seemed to be getting worse by the day. It gets lower just when it seems it cannot get much lower.
They have no one to blame for the loss, apart from the debate about the VAR decision to let Borocs goal stand in the face of a handball in the lead up to their equaliser, but themselves. By halftime, this game should have been done and dusted.
When Jadon Sancho should have scored early on, he struck the crossbar. At the very least, he made amends with a well-taken goal to put United ahead. But that penalty miss by Ronaldo was unforgivable. Not only did he miss the target, he still has not found a goal in 2022. It is weighing on his mind and impacting his and the team’s performances.
In the second half, Marcus Rashford missed a clear cut chance after a cross from Sancho, while Bruno Fernandes struck the post when offered with a near-open goal.
This defeat therefore cannot be simply put in VAR. The opportunities came to wrap up the game, send Middleborough out and continue with the FA title hopes in place. Middlesbrough should have been defeated both before and after their equalising goal, but it was not to be due to sheer profligacy on United’s part.
At this point, it appears that United will never win another penalty shootout. Despite the fact that United scored 17 of the past 19 kicks in the last two shootouts, they have lost both. After the Europa final defeat, some United supporters held on to the belief that if Dean Henderson had been in goal, United would have won.
All that has come to naught because Henderson conceded all eight last night, including one he allowed to slither right underneath him.
In truth, United should never have allowed the game to go to penalties, and now Anthony Elanga, a promising prodigy, must live with the disappointment of missing a penalty when his teammates’ wasted chances in normal time could have avoided that exact outcome.
United will play Atletico Madrid in the Champions League at the end of the month. Hopefully, they will fare better than they did against Boro and take the slim chances that Atletico will offer, if any. Otherwise, it will be over quickly for the Red Devils, over again.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
