Liverpool’s journey in the FA Cup took a tumultuous turn as they suffered an agonizing exit at Old Trafford. The Reds’ aspirations of securing the quadruple were dashed in a thrilling 4-3 defeat to Manchester United, a match that mirrored its chaotic start with an equally frenzied conclusion.
Liverpool faced a dire start in the quarter-final encounter, conceding an early goal to Scott McTominay due to lapses in defense from Joe Gomez and Jarell Quansah.
Despite goalkeeper Caomhin Kelleher’s heroics with six crucial saves in the first half, Liverpool managed to level the score just before halftime.
A brilliant run from Quansah, followed by a pass to Darwin Nunez, allowed Alexis Mac Allister to secure the equalizer. Minutes later, Nunez’s shot led to Mohamed Salah’s goal, putting Liverpool ahead.
Jürgen Klopp jubilated on the touchline as Salah found the net, acknowledging his team’s stroke of luck in not trailing by more than one goal before seizing the lead at halftime. Erik ten Hag would have been satisfied with his team’s performance until they conceded two preventable goals within three minutes, abruptly shifting the momentum.
In the second half, Manchester United seemed distant from their earlier dominance. Jurgen Klopp’s side dominated play and squandered numerous opportunities to secure the game, exemplified by Cody Gakpo’s poor delivery during a promising five-on-two counter-attack.
While the white and green side escaped being down by more than one goal in the first half, they faltered in their attempts to secure a decisive lead in the second.
Ultimately, the team paid dearly for those missed opportunities. Antony, brought on as a second-half substitute, swiftly capitalized, skillfully placing the ball beyond Caoimhín Kelleher’s reach and into the corner of the net. Manchester United, seemingly out of contention, suddenly found themselves back in the game.
Harvey Elliott, however, rose to the occasion towards the end of the first period of extra time. His strike ended up in the back of the net following a significant deflection off Christian Eriksen, much to the delight of the approximately 9000 traveling fans who undoubtedly relished their journey.
The game wasn’t settled yet, as Nunez’s missed opportunities came back to haunt Liverpool. He squandered one chance and then lost possession, allowing United to capitalize and equalize once again, this time through Marcus Rashford.
However, Liverpool couldn’t even hold out for penalties in the end. With Conor Bradley left to defend alone against two players, United seized the late counter-attack opportunity, with Amad Diallo securing the dramatic winner in the latter half of the additional 30 minutes, sealing Liverpool’s FA Cup exit in a heart-wrenching fashion.
Player ratings:
Jarell Quansah – 7
Quansah persisted in the absence of Ibrahima Konate, displaying overall proficiency. However, he shares responsibility for a defense that conceded four goals.
His assertive run contributed to Alexis Mac Allister’s equalizer, yet his performance faltered during McTominay’s goal.
This experience should serve as a valuable learning opportunity for him.
Virgil van Dijk – 7 (Man of the Match)
Van Dijk, arguably Liverpool’s Player of the Year, delivered another impressive performance, anchoring the defense through a challenging start.
His distribution skills were evident as he executed precise long passes, stretching United’s defense. Additionally, his interceptions showcased his world-class reading of the game.
While he would have hoped for more impactful leadership in extra time, the team’s composure wavered.
Andy Robertson – 6
Robertson continues to regain his best form since his return from injury. His performance at Old Trafford was sufficient, offering greater natural width than Gomez in the left-back position.
However, he missed a crucial opportunity when Liverpool trailed 1-0 and didn’t consistently deliver in the final third.
Wataru Endo – 7
Endo once more held firm in midfield, mirroring the trend of several Liverpool players by improving as the game progressed within the regulation 90 minutes.
His unwavering work ethic remained evident, although he seemed fatigued initially, and had a goal disallowed for offside.
However, as the match wore on, fatigue set in, contributing to Liverpool’s loss of control in extra time.
Dominik Szoboszlai – 7
Similar to Robertson, Szoboszlai has been gradually regaining his best form, and this performance showed promising signs from the Hungarian.
Liverpool’s No.8 displayed his trademark industriousness, with glimpses of the on-the-ball brilliance seen earlier in the season.
He remained a threat from distance and brought significant physicality to the game, although there’s potential for him to reach even greater heights.
Alexis Mac Allister – 7
Operating in his favored left-sided No.8 position, Mac Allister continued to increase his influence, albeit experiencing a noticeable physical decline towards the end of the match.
Despite receiving a booking for a foul on McTominay, the Argentine was instrumental in equalizing for Liverpool with his fifth goal of the season.
While his line-breaking passes were commendable, given his experience, both he and his teammates may rue their game management.
Mohamed Salah – 5
Salah, starting for the second time in three days after returning to full fitness, delivered a mixed performance.
Early on, the 31-year-old struggled to assert himself against Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s tight marking. However, he capitalized on an opportunity to bring the score to 2-1.
Despite this, his final delivery fell short, contributing to Liverpool’s failure to secure the win before ultimately losing.
Luis Diaz – 7
Diaz showcased remarkable energy levels in recent games, consistently posing a threat for Liverpool.
Playing in a more central role than usual, he formed a strong partnership with Robertson.
One particularly impressive run and shot he made was denied by Andre Onana.
However, Diaz’s influence waned in extra time, struggling to maintain possession or make good decisions.
Darwin Nunez – 5
Starting in the central role at Old Trafford, Nunez’s performance was deeply frustrating, revealing some of his shortcomings.
While he managed to test Onana twice in the second half, his ability to hold up the ball was lacking, and his costly loss of possession led to Marcus Rashford’s equalizer.
More was expected from him, and the decision to shift him to the left now raises questions.
Substitutes:
Harvey Elliott – 6
Elliott scored but also lost possession for United’s winner, showing both promise and error.
Conor Bradley – 6
Bradley coped well defensively but struggled against Garnacho.
He contributed to Elliott’s goal.
Cody Gakpo – 4
Gakpo’s performance was underwhelming, offering little impact, particularly during promising attacking situations.
Kostas Tsimikas – 6
Tsimikas had a steady performance off the bench, without significant impact.
Bobby Clark
He did just fine.
Jurgen Klopp
Klopp approached Old Trafford with hopes of maintaining the quadruple dream before a two-week break, but it concluded in disappointment.
There were few qualms with the manager’s starting lineup, and despite a slow start, his team’s performance was largely commendable until Antony leveled the score at 2-2.
Liverpool’s wastefulness in the final third cannot be solely attributed to Klopp, and ultimately, the players let him down.
In hindsight, the substitutions appear questionable, particularly the decision to move Nunez to the left and introduce Gakpo centrally, proving ineffective.
Moving forward, the focus is on rebounding from this defeat and ensuring a correction on April 7th at the same venue.