FA Cup: Manchester United eliminated on penalties by Middlesbrough in the 4th round

The Red Devils fell to a Championship team. Manchester United is eliminated from the Cup after having cracked during the fateful session in front of Middlesbrough, Friday, in the 16th finals (1-1, 8-7 tab). The Mancunians had opened the scoring thanks to Jadon Sancho (25th) while Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a penalty (20th). They remained clearly dominating but also clumsy and the visitors equalized with a little success, in the absence of VAR at this stage of the competition, by Matt Crooks (64th). Young Anthony Elanga missed the fatal shot on goal.

Ralf Rangnick’s players will be able to bite their fingers because victory was reaching out to them. The two-week break also seemed to have done them the greatest good because they attacked the game with their feet on the floor. After an error by the opposing defense and a high recovery from Cristiano Ronaldo, Sancho quickly shook the crossbar of Joe Lumley (2nd). The Portuguese center-forward, he was able to place a nice acrobatic return in the middle of the zone of truth after a good collective action but the ball ended up on the goalkeeper (6th).

Pogba active for his return, CR7 misses on penalty

CR7, on the other hand, missed when hitting a penalty obtained by the active Paul Pogba who was returning to competition after three months of absence due to injury. The exercise specialist sent the ball to the left of the frame (20th). As a first sign of an evening upside down for the partners of Bruno Fernandes who missed his volley because he thought he was offside (23rd). A few seconds later, the playmaker still launched Sancho who went to open the scoring with a cross shot to the left of the zone of truth (1-0, 25th).

Manchester United had taken the advantage and were clearly superior to an often naive opponent in their defensive positioning. Except that Ronaldo stumbled on Lumley (33rd), the goalkeeper also overtook the striker in his area after the break (47th). Marcus Rashford missed the mark (54th) and Middlesbroug equalized on one of his very rare attempts when Crooks scored from close range following a surrender from Duncan Watmore who had just used his left hand to control the ball (1-1 , 64th). The VAR being absent at this level of the competition, the goal was validated.

A lesson in realism and fighting spirit

It is not this arbitration decision that the Mancunian supporters present at Old Trafford will remember but rather this missed Fernandes who found a way to shoot the right post of Lumley who had just missed his recovery at the foot in his area (73rd) . It was one of the very many clear chances or hot situations poorly managed by the Mancunians (72nd, 74th). Entering shortly before extra time, Elanga wasted one, too, with a head that was too soft (90th + 2).

Despite 70% possession and 28 shots (including 10 for CR7, 6 for Rashford and Fernandes) for 9 on target against only 6 and 3 on target on the visitors’ side, Manchester United was pushed into the penalty shootout. Because his opponent, current 7th in the English second division, has always fought and slowly gained confidence in the face of this clumsiness. Middlesbrough’s eight shooters all scored, as did the first seven Mancunians. Not Elanga who sent the ball into the stands. The 19-year-old Swede can blame himself, his more experienced teammates at least as much.