Harry Maguire’s controversial winner sees Ruud van Nistelrooy create unwanted Manchester United history
Harry Maguire scored a controversial stoppage-time winner against Leicester City to send Manchester United through in the FA Cup. The visiting Foxes led at half-time courtesy of Bobby De Cordova-Reid but United hit back on 68 minutes thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s goal. AFPMaguire completed the United comeback in second-half stoppage-time[/caption] Extra-time and a potential penalty shootout loomed before Maguire rose to the occasion and netted the winner against his former club. An excellent Bruno Fernandes free-kick was met by the head of the onrushing centre-back to spark jubilant scenes at Old Trafford. However, replays show that Maguire was in an offside position when Fernandes took the set-piece. VAR was not in operation on the night as it’s only being used from the fifth round onwards this season so the goal was allowed to stand. United’s late winner sprang memories of ‘Fergie time’ under Sir Alex Ferguson, but Ruud van Nistelrooy didn’t think this was the case. The Leicester boss told ITV Sport after: “We were not defeat in ‘Fergie time’, we were defeated in offside time.” Speaking on the lack of VAR, he added: “This wasn’t necessary. Look, VAR you have in a couple of centimetres, couple of inches. “This was half a metre, clear in line. It’s a hard one to take because the team deserved the draw in the end, the extra-time to stay in the game, you never know what happens. “It was a very good team performance, started really well, pressing United on the ball, very, very stable, deserved to go 1-0 up at half-time. “Of course, we know the second half is going to bring some pressure on us and some chances but not even that much. We deserved to go into extra-time and go for the battle, and maybe penalties. Replays show that Maguire was actually offside@itvfootball X Van Nistelrooy says it’s hard for him and his side to swallowGetty “Decisions like this, in our level, are hard to swallow.” Van Nistelrooy returned to United for the first time since leaving as their interim head coach in November. However, not only did he miss out on reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup, he also made unwanted history on the night. United had never won three home games against the same team in one season prior to kick-off. However this has now changed, with Friday’s result their third victory over Leicester at Old Trafford in the 2024/25 campaign. Their first was a 5-2 thumping win in the Carabao Cup fourth round before a 3-0 triumph in the Premier League a few days later – both matches in which Van Nistelrooy was in charge of the Red Devils. United have reached the fifth round for a third consecutive seasonGetty Man United didn’t deserve to win based on the stats United will continue the defence of their FA Cup crown when they enter the fifth round of the competition. The draw will be made on Monday after the majority of the fourth round fixtures are played across the weekend.
Harry Maguire scored a controversial stoppage-time winner against Leicester City to send Manchester United through in the FA Cup.
The visiting Foxes led at half-time courtesy of Bobby De Cordova-Reid but United hit back on 68 minutes thanks to Joshua Zirkzee’s goal.
Extra-time and a potential penalty shootout loomed before Maguire rose to the occasion and netted the winner against his former club.
An excellent Bruno Fernandes free-kick was met by the head of the onrushing centre-back to spark jubilant scenes at Old Trafford.
However, replays show that Maguire was in an offside position when Fernandes took the set-piece.
VAR was not in operation on the night as it’s only being used from the fifth round onwards this season so the goal was allowed to stand.
United’s late winner sprang memories of ‘Fergie time’ under Sir Alex Ferguson, but Ruud van Nistelrooy didn’t think this was the case.
The Leicester boss told ITV Sport after: “We were not defeat in ‘Fergie time’, we were defeated in offside time.”
Speaking on the lack of VAR, he added: “This wasn’t necessary. Look, VAR you have in a couple of centimetres, couple of inches.
“This was half a metre, clear in line. It’s a hard one to take because the team deserved the draw in the end, the extra-time to stay in the game, you never know what happens.
“It was a very good team performance, started really well, pressing United on the ball, very, very stable, deserved to go 1-0 up at half-time.
“Of course, we know the second half is going to bring some pressure on us and some chances but not even that much. We deserved to go into extra-time and go for the battle, and maybe penalties.
“Decisions like this, in our level, are hard to swallow.”
Van Nistelrooy returned to United for the first time since leaving as their interim head coach in November.
However, not only did he miss out on reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup, he also made unwanted history on the night.
United had never won three home games against the same team in one season prior to kick-off.
However this has now changed, with Friday’s result their third victory over Leicester at Old Trafford in the 2024/25 campaign.
Their first was a 5-2 thumping win in the Carabao Cup fourth round before a 3-0 triumph in the Premier League a few days later – both matches in which Van Nistelrooy was in charge of the Red Devils.
United will continue the defence of their FA Cup crown when they enter the fifth round of the competition.
The draw will be made on Monday after the majority of the fourth round fixtures are played across the weekend.
