LONDON – Manchester United are in the FA Cup final but the way they got the better of Coventry City will not affect Erik ten Hag's prospects of staying on as manager.
If anything, the fans who streamed from Wembley back into Manchester after watching their team win a penalty shootout at the end of a dramatic day will be more convinced than ever that the Dutchman is no longer the man is for this job. United had a score of 3-0 before Coventry scored three goals in the final 20 minutes, including a 95th-minute equalizer, which saw the game end 3-3 on penalties.
The Championship side were the better team in extra time and thought they had pulled off one of the greatest FA Cup comebacks of all time when Victor Torp hit the target with the final shot, but the celebration was cut short by VAR and the narrowest of offside calls. In the end, it was another heartbreaking penalty shootout at Wembley for Coventry, who lost in a penalty shootout to Luton Town in the Championship play-off final last season.
– Stream the replay on ESPN+: Man United vs. Coventry City (US only)
United, meanwhile, reach the final against Manchester City, a repeat of last season's showpiece. Ten Hag is expected to join Pep Guardiola on the sidelines on May 25, but there are growing doubts he will still be at Old Trafford next season.
“It’s clear there are mixed emotions,” Ten Hag said when asked to summarize the day. “It’s an achievement to be in the FA Cup final twice in two years. United have been in the final five times in the last 20 years, but now we've been there twice in two years. It’s a huge achievement.”
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“When you have so much control, dominate the game and lead 3-0, we should win it. The way we didn't do it wasn't good. From the 70th minute to the end we made mistakes.”
What will Sir Jim Ratcliffe think then? The 71-year-old United co-owner was sitting in the stands after completing the London Marathon hours earlier, but watching Ten Hag's team in the second half became his toughest test of the day.
The game seemed to be over in the 58th minute when Bruno Fernandes scored United's third goal, only then the Red Devils inexplicably decided to remind everyone how weak they are.
For most of the afternoon, Coventry played like a team simply enjoying a break from the Championship, which has seen them lose three of their last four games. But when Ellis Simms scored in the 71st minute, United began to crash and crash and Coventry took advantage.
Erik ten Hag almost lost an FA Cup semi-final after leading 3-0. Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
Eight minutes later, Callum O'Hare scored the second goal from a heavy deflection before referee Robert Jones caused chaos in the sea of sky blue behind the goal by pointing to the penalty spot after spotting a controversial handball from Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
VAR confirmed it, Haji Wright concealed it and for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson's last game as manager in 2013, United had blown a three-goal lead.
With United now seemingly determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Wright missed a good chance in extra time and Simms hit the underside of the crossbar.
Only the VAR lines saved United from defeat on Torp's goal in the 121st minute – “I think it was a toenail offside,” Coventry boss Mark Robins said afterwards – but Ten Hag still had to go to O'Hare and thank Ben Sheaf for missing penalties in the shootout. They probably kept him in his job for another month.
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Burley: I'm worried about Manchester United in the FA Cup final
Craig Burley is very worried about Manchester United facing Manchester City in the FA Cup final after beating Coventry on penalties.
When Rasmus Højlund scored the decisive shot and secured their second FA Cup final in a row, the celebration was muted. If it's possible to claim an undeserved win after taking a 3-0 lead, then United have found a way to do it.
“We can play at a very high level, but in the same game we can go to a very low level and that is unexplainable,” Ten Hag said. “We let each other down several times. Today we got away unscathed. With all the injuries, we don't have that many tools. We don’t even have a back four in their best positions.”
“On this point I have to compliment the team, the players did it, they were in a position that was not at their best. They gave 100% and it's not always easy to play your best football when you're not in your best position.
Ten Hag was keen to cite the lengthy injury list as the main reason for the team's miserable season, but despite playing against Coventry without ten experienced players and Casemiro as a replacement centre-back, this was no explanation for the collapse.
Again he replaced Alejandro Garnacho in the second half and gave up an element of control. In the last month, the Argentine has been replaced by United, who lead 4-3 against Chelsea, 2-1 against Liverpool and 3-0 against Coventry, and each time they have fallen behind.
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Man United win the penalty shootout against Coventry and reach the FA Cup final
Manchester United reach the FA Cup final after Coventry forced a penalty shootout from 3-0 down.
Garnacho was still running when he was substituted in the 66th minute and it was notable that Robins said United started to look “leggy” around the same time.
United's new ownership team insist no decision has been made on Ten Hag's future but if he loses his job in the summer it will be on days like these.
He said afterwards it was “crazy” to think that winning an FA Cup semi-final would have weakened his position as a manager, but that was the prevailing feeling when Højlund's final penalty ended up in the net.
Still at the helm, no obvious successor and an FA Cup final against City looming, he still has time to prove he should stay, but the Coventry clash only made a more convincing case that he should go.
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