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Harry Maguire has opened up on how Manchester United beat Liverpool in their epic FA Cup quarter-final, hailing manager Erik ten Hag for his “brave” and “aggressive” tactics.
United twice came from behind to level the game, first late in normal time through substitute Antony and then in extra time via Marcus Rashford, before Amad Diallo’s dramatic late winner settled a breathless cup tie.
Tactically, Ten Hag took a risk by making substitutions that left just two traditional defenders on the field while trying to catch up in the game. However, the daring move worked in their favor, putting a stop to Liverpool’s chances of winning four trophies and also keeping United’s hopes for winning a title alive.
Maguire stated that they did not take control of the game and the manager instructed them to be more aggressive. He also brought on an additional attacker and urged them to play with a man-to-man strategy.
“I was facing the opponent striker, while the full-backs were facing the opposing wingers. We employed a strategy of marking our opponents individually across the entire field. Surprisingly, it was effective and allowed us to push forward and apply more pressure. There was a moment in the second half where I felt like we were losing control of the game.”
“Kudos to the manager for noticing and acknowledging that. After scoring the equalizer, I thought he might sub in a center-back for a more defensive approach. But to my surprise, he chose to remain aggressive and throughout extra time, he stuck with myself and Diogo [Dalot] as the only two defenders on the field. Our aggressive strategy paid off in the end as we were able to push our opponents back in extra time.”
Amad Diallo scores the deciding goal for United in extra time.
Amad scored the winning goal in the final moments of the game, but received a red card for unsporting behavior when he took off his shirt in celebration. This secured a 4-3 victory that will be unforgettable for a long time.
Maguire stated that the game would be remembered as a memorable FA Cup match due to its emotional intensity, opportunities for both teams to win or lose, and the frustration of conceding an unexpected goal in extra time. Despite this setback, the team was able to rally and put pressure on their opponents, thanks to the impressive performance of the forward players, particularly towards the end of the game.
Reworded: Now, United will take on Coventry City from the Championship in the semi-finals at Wembley. Additionally, they have 10 remaining Premier League matches to secure a spot in the top five, guaranteeing qualification for the redesigned Champions League next season.
Currently, they are trailing fifth-placed Tottenham by six points and fourth-placed Aston Villa by nine points, although they have one game more to play than the latter. Maguire is optimistic that the satisfying victory against Liverpool can propel them towards a strong conclusion to the season.
This has been a challenging season for our team. While our points in the Premier League are decent, they could have been much better. The five teams ahead of us have gathered more points, which is a significant difference at this point in the season. We have faced multiple injuries, but we are not the only club to do so.
“Our elimination from the Carabao Cup was disappointing, as well as our performance in the Champions League campaign. Despite playing well in the group games, two red cards hindered our chances of advancing. Therefore, it is crucial for us to have a successful run in the FA Cup. The recent win is a significant result that gives us hope and motivation to compete for a trophy this season.”
The current season has been a letdown for fans, especially after the positive results of the previous season where the team secured Champions League football and won the [League] Cup. Despite our efforts to improve, we have struggled in many areas. However, the atmosphere on Sunday was fantastic and it was essential to give the loyal fans something to celebrate and be happy about.
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