Newport vs Manchester United LIVE: FA Cup result, final score and reaction as United narrowly avoid cup upset

Marcus Rashford was unavailable for Manchester United’s FA Cup match against Newport on Sunday because of illness, according to the club’s official line.

But Erik ten Hag has warned he will “deal with” the matter, following reports Rashford was spotted in a Belfast night club this week.

United would not comment on those reports, and said Rashford had “stayed at Carrington to train as he recovers”.

On Friday, manager Erik ten Hag said Rashford was ill and he would see how he recovered before determining if he could make the squad for the FA Cup fourth-round match at League Two Newport.

Bruno Fernandes lamented his side’s decision-making in front of goal as Manchester United saw off a spirited Newport County to book their place in the FA Cup fifth round with a 4-2 away win.

United flew out of the traps at Rodney Parade, with goals from Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo putting them 2-0 up inside the first 13 minutes.

Erik ten Hag’s side could well have put the game beyond doubt in the opening salvo but spurned a number of good chances through a combination of poor finishing and bad decision-making. Antony squandered several efforts, while Alejandro Garnacho hit the crossbar from a tight angle despite having both Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund open for what would have been a simple tap-in.

And United’s profligate ways almost cost them when goals from Bryn Morris and Will Evans drew the League Two side level after the break. United eventually saw off the spirited hosts thanks to goals from Antony and Hojlund but the Portuguese captain said his team needed to develop a more ruthless streak in front of goal.

It will be Bristol City or Nottingham Forest up next for Erik ten Hag’s side in the fifth round of the FA Cup. A good chance to make it through to the quarter-finals.

Here’s the draw in full, in case you missed it:

Blackburn Rovers or Wrexham v Newcastle United

Chelsea or Aston Villa v Leeds United or Plymouth Argyle

Bournemouth v Leicester City

Liverpool v Watford or Southampton

Bristol City or Nottingham Forest v Manchester United

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton & Hove Albion

Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry City v Maidstone United

Luton Town v Manchester City

“The best team won, they were clinical when they got their chances. At 2-2, the ball comes off the post and it fell to Antony. I did think at 2-2 we could possibly force a replay if we could weather the storm. Class saw them through.”

“A lesser team might have chucked the towel in but I spoke about character at half-time. The lads reacted really well in the second half. When you score two goals against Manchester United, that creates memories. That will live with our boys forever. I’ve challenged our lads to push on.”

On feeling around the club: “This week has been brilliant. It’s our first defeat in seven or eight. The takeover has given us a little injection. These lads will live with the memories but let’s go and make more memories and close that gap in League Two. We pushed them as hard as we could and I’m so proud.”

Let’s take a look at the second-half goals from that contest.

It was Newport who struck first, with Evans levelling up the contest to send the home fans wild...

But United were back ahead later in the half with Antony’s first goal of the season...

Before Hojlund’s injury-time finish secured the win...

A great end to the FA Cup weekend.

On his goal: “It was a good goal but we trained on it in the week. We knew that we had spaces with the cutback, Kobbie Mainoo’s goal was the same. We knew we could attack and overrun their midfield, we had space for the cutback and I think it resulted well.”

On winning the FA Cup: “We have to understand that the FA Cup is our chance to win a trophy and we have to give everything to get into the final step by step, game by game.

“We know that to make the season look not as bad as it has been, we have to try to win this trophy because it is important for us. We were in the final last year, but unfortunately we did not get the trophy. We know how much the FA Cup means for our fans, our club, for the country so we know how important it is and it’s important for us too. We want to get into the final and win.”

“We got the win we wanted bu the result was not the perfect one for us. We didn’t want to concede goals. Obviously, the first one is a great one from them but after we have to be more focused in the second half. We can’t concede another goal and let them have belief.

“We have to kill the game straight away. In the first half, we had chances to make the game 3-0. When you get 2-0 up in these games, everyone then wants to score and get there goal and sometimes we didn’t make the best decisions.”

“But I think after we did a great job to close the game.”

“The first 35 minutes were very comfortable leading 2-0. It should have been 3-0 or 4-0. They created chances out of nothing. Our defence transition was not great. We had to start again to win this game and we did.

“We controlled the game, maybe we went a little bit slower. We had the chance to go 3-0. Garnacho hit the crossbar and Antony had some efforts as well. They had nothing, really nothing and then they scored a goal.”

The whistle goes and United have scraped through to the fifth round of the FA Cup. The scoreline may tell one story but this was a very tight game that Newport threatened to come out on top of.

They battled back superbly having gone 2-0 down but goals from Antony and Hojlund ultimately proved too much for the Welsh side.