Manchester United 3-2 Liverpool
It is a year next weekend since Bruno Fernandes made his debut in English football.
Few could have envisaged then exactly what a difference he would make to a team which had been at its lowest ebb prior to his arrival.
When the Portuguese talisman drilled home a brilliant 78th-minute free-kick to win this FA Cup fourth-round tie, his year to remember was complete.
Now United need to go onto greater things and lift silverware if the question marks against the club’s management – both on and off the field – are to be put to bed.
At the very least, it is what Fernandes deserves!
Highlights of the game
A potential classic between arch rivals, many pundits had predicted FA Cup highlights and they were not wrong.
A week after a goalless draw in the league, this was a very different spectacle, albeit one where mistakes were more commonplace for both teams.
Liverpool, at least, had an excuse with their main three center-backs all absent – a factor which played a part in United’s first two goals.
How Liverpool needed a confidence boost following a home reverse to Burnley, their fifth successive league game without a victory.
They started well at Old Trafford. In fact, the visitors were the better side and led after 19 minutes as Georginio Wijnaldum found Roberto Firmino, the Brazilian playing in Mo Salah who dinked the ball over Dean Henderson.
At that point, they could have done with keeping United quiet for a lengthy spell but the hosts were level within seven minutes.
Paul Pogba won possession in the middle before Donny Van de Beek found Marcus Rashford. There was still plenty to do at that point but his ball went all the way to Mason Greenwood on the opposite flank and the teenager was clinical.
That goal rocked the visitors and United should have led by the break as the unmarked Pogba headed wide from a Luke Shaw corner.
Rashford showed him how three minutes after the restart as Greenwood returned the favour with a pass which young defender Rhys Williams misjudged and the young forward despatched the ball confidently past Allison.
If that was poor defending from a rookie, United would not have been enamoured by conceding again so quickly as a more senior player was caught napping.
Edinson Cavani was not alert to Harry Maguire’s pass and James Milner’s stepover allowed Salah a shot that went through Henderson’s legs.
It was clear neither manager wanted the prospect of extra-time as shown by the arrival of Fernandes and Sadio Mane as both sides chased a winner in normal time.
It was the former who provided it and emphatically so!
Cavani was pulled down on the edge of the box and that was the cue for Fernandes who superbly bent his shot around the wall and beyond the reach of Alisson.
It would have been four had Cavani not rattled the post from another fine cross from the super sub but that would have been harsh on Liverpool.
Bruno had already done enough!
Key statistics
Since his Man Utd debut in February 2020, Fernandes has scored more goals than any other Premier League player (28).
Salah has netted 19 goals in all competitions this season, the joint-most of any Premier League player along with Harry Kane.
Rashford has scored four goals in five appearances against Liverpool at Old Trafford, the most goals he has scored against any opponent at home.
Greenwood (19 years, 115 days) is the youngest Man Utd player to score against Liverpool since Wayne Rooney in January 2005 (19 years 83 days).
Firmino has assisted Salah for 18 goals in all competitions for Liverpool; the most any player has set up another for the Reds under manager Jürgen Klopp.
The Merseysiders’ only FA Cup win away to Manchester United came in 1921, when they won a first-round replay 2-1.
United have eliminated Liverpool from the FA Cup for the 10th time; in the competition’s history, only Liverpool themselves (12 v Everton) have knocked a particular side out more times (including finals).
United have not lost in the FA Cup fourth round since a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool in 2012.
The Merseysiders have reached the quarter-finals just twice since they last won the FA Cup in 2006.
They have failed to progress beyond the fourth round in five of their six seasons under Klopp.
What’s next?
It’s back to the league for both clubs in midweek as United host basement battlers Sheffield United on Wednesday (January 27), 24 hours before Liverpool visit Spurs.
Then next weekend United travel to Arsenal and Liverpool go to West Ham.
Don’t forget to check out the SBOTOP FA Cup betting odds before the fifth round where United will host the Hammers.
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