- Salah’s Impact
Mohamed Salah has consistently been a thorn in the side of Manchester United. This isn’t just based on emotions; the statistics speak for themselves. In his Liverpool career, Salah has scored an impressive 12 goals in 13 matches against Manchester United. During the match at Old Trafford Stadium, Salah once again made his presence known. In the 45+2′ minute, Darwin Nunez took a powerful shot that Andre Onana struggled to save. The ball fell to Salah, who swiftly buried it in the back of Manchester United’s net.
Unfortunately, Salah couldn’t complete the full 90 minutes due to physical limitations. In the 78th minute, manager Jurgen Klopp decided to substitute him. Many Liverpool fans believed that this substitution came too early, weakening their team’s attacking prowess.
- Garnacho’s Dilemma
Manager Erik ten Hag deployed Alejandro Garnacho on the right wing, Marcus Rashford on the left, and Rasmus Hojlund as the number 9. However, this unintentional arrangement resulted in Garnacho struggling to make an impact in the first half.
The situation improved in the second half when Ten Hag made a tactical change. Hojlund was substituted off for Antony, allowing Rashford to take the number 9 role, Garnacho to return to the left wing, and Antony to occupy the right wing.This adjustment proved beneficial as Garnacho began to thrive. The talented Argentine displayed immense energy and exhibited intelligent movement and positioning. It was Garnacho who provided the assist for Amad Traore’s decisive goal, securing a 4-3 victory for Manchester United.
The question now arises: should Ten Hag continue deploying Garnacho on the left wing after the match against Liverpool? Ten Hag must make a prompt decision, especially considering Rashford’s apparent decline in performance on the left wing.
- Brilliant Substitutions
Both Ten Hag and Klopp showcased their excellent substitution strategies. Klopp introduced Conor Bradley and Harvey Elliott in the second half, a decision that paid off handsomely. Bradley and Elliott combined beautifully to score Liverpool’s third goal. Elliott delivered a powerful shot, sending the ball soaring into Manchester United’s net. Klopp’s astuteness was mirrored by Ten Hag’s prowess. The Dutch tactician brought Antony and Amad Traore onto the field in the second half. In the 87th minute, Antony executed a fantastic turn and finished with finesse, equalizing the score at 2-2 for Manchester United.
In the 120+1′ minute, Red Devils fans were left in tears as Amad Traore netted the decisive goal, securing Manchester United’s place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
- Rashford’s Misfortune
Although the English striker managed to score the equalizer, his goal couldn’t overshadow his lackluster performance throughout the day. Rashford squandered at least two scoring opportunities before finding the back of the net in the 112th minute. In the 94th minute, with Liverpool’s goal wide open, Rashford inexplicably kicked the ball wide. If he had been more composed and successful in that moment, Manchester United could have sealed the victory much earlier. Fortunately for Rashford, his team emerged as the ultimate winners.
- Liverpool’s Self-Destruction
Prior to the quarter-finals, many comments and analyses favored Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp and his team demonstrated composure and courage, even after conceding an early goal. By the end of the first half, The Kop had scored two goals, leading Manchester United 2-1. Regrettably, Liverpool couldn’t maintain their advantage in the second half. Their gameplay became somewhat subjective, and the missed opportunities took a heavy toll on Virgil van Dijk and his teammates.