Manchester United vs Coventry LIVE: FA Cup semi-final result as Red Devils sneak through penalty shootout to reach final
Coventry 3-3 Man Utd (2-4 on penalties): Erik ten Hag’s men will face Manchester City next month
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester United made hard work of their FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City and needed a penalty shootout to set up a tantilising clash against Manchester City next month.
United took the initiative for the first 60 minutes and worked their way up to a three goal lead after Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes all found the back of the net. Yet there was a twist in the tale as Coventry came from behind to force the match into extra-time.
With 20 minutes to go Ellis Simms scored on the turn to give the Championship club some hope before Callum O’Hare’s deflected strike looped over Andre Onana. A stoppage time penalty was then dispatched by Haji Wright to force an extra 30 minutes. Victor Torp slotted home right at the end of the game but his effort was ruled out for offside and penalties were needed to decide the match.
Bradley Collins saved Casemiro’s first kick but Andre Onana came up with the goods for Man Utd. He kept out O’Hare’s effort then saw Ben Sheaf ping one over the top as Rasmus Hojlund netted the winning penalty.
Relive the action from Wembley below plus get the latest odds and tips for the match right here:
Manchester United form guide
Last six results for the Red Devils:
- Bournemouth 2-2 Manchester United
- Manchester United 2-2 Liverpool
- Chelsea 4-3 Manchester United
- Brentford 1-1 Manchester United
- Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool (FA Cup quarter-final)
- Manchester United 2-0 Everton
Coventry City form guide
Last six results for the Championship club:
- Birmingham City 3-0 Coventry
- Southampton 2-1 Coventry
- Coventry 2-1 Leeds United
- Coventry 1-2 Cardiff City
- Huddersfield Town 1-3 Coventry
- Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 Coventry (FA Cup quarter-final)
Ten Hag on facing Coventry
Back to today’s fixture and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag spoke about what he is expecting from the game at Wembley.
“Of course, also we know the manager, a former United player, striker, his long period there, he’s doing a fantastic job there,” said Ten Hag referencing Mark Robins’ time as a player with the Red Devils.
“So, we know a lot about them. Of course they are dangerous, they are in the semi-final. It’s logical.
“Last season, they were that far away [gestures to a small gap] from being promoted to the Premier League. So they do a fantastic job over there.
“We have seen the game against Wolves, in the quarter-final, the mentality in the team is fabulous, so we have to play to our best levels.”
Why have FA Cup replays been scrapped?
FA Cup replays have been scrapped as part of a new agreement between the Football Association and Premier League that comes amid the introduction of the new-look Champions League from next season.
Replays had already been scrapped from the fifth round onwards but have now been ditched altogether from the first round proper, a joint statement from the FA and Premier League said.
The FA said the move had been made in agreement with the Premier League and “in light of changes to the calendar driven by the expanded Uefa competitions”.
The Champions League will become a 36-team competition next season with a new-look league format replacing the previous group stages. Premier League teams who are involved will now play eight rounds of games, running into January, to qualify for the knockout stages, an increase on the previous six.
Additionally, the FA Cup final will now be staged on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season, rather than after, while all rounds will be played at the weekend. The fifth round of the FA Cup has been placed in midweek in the last five seasons.
The changes come as part of a new agreement between the FA and Premier League that will see the top flight put forward an extra £33m to grassroots football, on top of the £100m it says it already provides.
Scrapping FA Cup replays shows the FA’s weakness – the only winners are the whining billionaire owners
The scrapping of all FA Cup replays, as announced by the FA, may have been an inevitability but it doesn’t make their demise any less sad. There is no longer any surprise at the biggest entities within football getting their own way, with the ill effects on smaller clubs and communities simply seen as unimportant collateral damage, yet every greed-driven change still comes as a gut punch.
Replays had already been removed from the fifth round onwards and the announcement that the first four rounds of the ‘competition proper’ will follow suit from next season was lumped in with other format changes, including all rounds to be played on weekends, the fourth-round, fifth-round and quarter-final weekends to be exclusive of Premier League games and the FA Cup final itself to be moved before the end of the Premier League season.
The biggest clubs, despite having the biggest squads, detested FA Cup replays amid a hectic calendar. They whined loudly enough and for long enough that the authorities eventually buckled to their demands. The trade-off is the Premier League increasing funding to the football pyramid, with up to an additional £33m being earmarked for grassroots football. Yet the damage this move will do is far greater than the effect of any token payment.
Scrapping FA Cup replays shows the FA’s weakness as whining billionaires win again
From next season, there will be no replays in the FA Cup to satisfy an elite minority with a selfish agenda, while hurting those further down the food chain
FA responds to criticims around FA Cup replays being scrapped
The FA issued a statement on FA Cup replays on Friday, saying: “We understand the concerns expressed over the last 24 hours, and we will be sharing more details with clubs very shortly to explain the additional revenue opportunities in the early rounds.”
Coventry boss Mark Robins, whose side face Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final today, said the decision to scrap all replays did “kick everybody in the teeth” below the top level while United boss Erik ten Hag said the scrapping of replays was “sad” but “inevitable” given the overload of the schedule on top players.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, whose team reached the FA Cup final on Saturday, empathises with lower-league clubs but said losing replays was “better” from a welfare perspective for players at top-flight clubs.
“I think you know better than me the reason why replays were created – it’s for the lower divisions, I guess. To have the chance, to give an opportunity for these clubs in lower divisions, to have an opportunity to play a big club, good money,” said Guardiola,
“For them (scrapping replays) is bad. In that sense, it is a problem. It’s a big blow, absolutely. For the big clubs playing the European competitions, it’s much better.
“We have less games in our tight schedule of a lot of games. To find the balance today in the world football is the most difficult thing. I understand that the clubs and the lower divisions can complain about that, because if we have a game here in the Etihad Stadium and we cannot win, we have to go to the team in the Conference or League One. That game is so important for them. This is replacing an FA Cup tradition of many, many years.
“But with the schedule that we have, especially teams that play European competitions and national teams – many players go to the national teams – it’s much better.”
EFL claims FA Cup replays decision marginalises lower league clubs
The EFL said the decision to scrap FA Cup replays next season was just the most recent example of how the league and its clubs were being sidelined by the FA, with Premier League clubs having also decided to halt discussions over a new financial settlement with the EFL.
They releases a statement which reads:
“This latest agreement between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just a further example of how the EFL and its clubs are being marginalised in favour of others further up the pyramid and that only serves to threaten the future of the English game,” the EFL’s statement on Friday afternoon said.
“The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their footballing partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues directly affecting our clubs.”
The EFL insisted in its statement that the decision to abolish replays was “agreed solely between the Premier League and the FA”.
Ending FA Cup replays another example of EFL being ‘marginalised’, says league
The decision to scrap FA Cup replays is further evidence of the EFL and its clubs being “marginalised”, the league has said.
The Football Association announced on Thursday it had reached an agreement with the Premier League on the future format and funding of the competition, which would include all replays from the first round being abolished.
A number of EFL clubs have criticised the changes and insisted they were not consulted, with the FA releasing a statement on Friday saying it understood those concerns and would share details with them about how any shortfall in lost replay revenue may be made up.
Ending FA Cup replays another example of EFL being ‘marginalised’, says league
All replays from the first round onward are being abolished.
Pre-match thoughts from Coventry City boss
Coventry City manager Mark Robins says he is excited about the prospect of his team playing their first FA Cup semi-final since 1987 and claims the whole city is ready for it.
“I’m excited. It’s a brilliant opportunity for everyone and there’s a lot of excitement around the city and it’s the first time we’ve been in the semi-final since 1987.” said Robins, “It’s not a normal occasion for us, for Manchester United its normal for them.
“They have some England internationals and other internationals who have played at Wembley and for them it’s an expectation and for their supporters, so for us its slightly different, although we’ve been four times in the last seven years.
“We’ve had an experience of Wembley, varying levels of success, other than last year it’s been very positive, and we look forward to this weekend.
“We know the challenge and there’s no doubt that’s huge, majorly significant, but we’re looking forward to it.”
Ten Hag laments United’s injury-hit season
Manchester United have had plenty of injury problems to deal with since Erik ten Hag came in as manager with the boss saying that their home win over Manchester City last year was the only time he had a full squad to choose from.
“I don’t have any concern about what is said on the outside,” Ten Hag claimed, “What concerns me is that in 18 months I have never had my favourite team on the pitch in 18 months.
“That concerns me. Because the players are injured. One time (I could pick my strongest XI) was against (Man) City last season in the home game.
“That was the only time where we had a full squad, where I can pick my team and in all the other games there was always an injury aspect where we have to deal with.
“That is normal in football but not so many as we have had. And I know when we have so many injuries as we have had and on crucial key positions, you can’t deliver the results you want to bring and that is okay.
“But that is my truth. And others can have a different truth. But I can’t put energy in that.”
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