Manchester United v Leicester LIVE: Result after Harry Maguire scores offside winner in FA Cup
Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd turned around a poor performance in the first half with two second-half goals to knock Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City out of the FA Cup
Manchester United clawed back from a goal down to beat Leicester City in a 2-1 fourth-round FA Cup victory on Friday at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-gasp header from veteran defender Harry Maguire plus a strike from Joshua Zirkzee.
The game appeared to be heading into extra time before Maguire headed in the winner in the 93rd minute from Bruno Fernandes' free kick, seconds before the final whistle. Replays showed he was offside, but VAR is not deployed in the first four rounds of the FA Cup.
The result handed United only their third win in their last eight games at Old Trafford across all competitions.
United were poor in the first half and Leicester capitalised in the 42nd minute when Wilfred Ndidi's shot was blocked by keeper Andre Onana but Bobby De Cordova-Reid was there to head in the rebound from close range.
Zirkzee levelled in the 68th minute when Rasmus Hojlund's effort was blocked by defender Caleb Okoli and the ball fell perfectly for Zirkzee to tap home just three minutes after he entered the game.
Man Utd v Leicester
A few images from the build-up, with just a few minutes to kick-off at Old Trafford:
Ruben Amorim: Dorgu will be nervous but he's a talent
The Manchester United manager speaks about Patrick Dorgu after handing the 20-year-old his debut tonight:
“He needs to start playing. He did very well this week [in training]. We need wingers, even the left foot sometimes on the opposite side, it’s really important for the way we see the game. He will be a bit nervous and play simple at first, but he’s a talented kid.”
'An actual left-footed left wing-back'
A first outing for Ruben Amorim's first major signing as Patrick Dorgu starts; an actual left-footed left wing-back for a manager who insists on playing wing-backs. Another new recruit, Ayden Heaven, is on the bench, along with Hubert Graczyk, who is perhaps United's fifth-choice goalkeeper, but involved because of injuries to others. United must hope Andre Onana doesn't get injured. As United's strikers are short of goals, a man with 150 United goals returns to Old Trafford, with Ruud van Nistelrooy back. He has beaten Leicester twice this season as United's caretaker manager.
Hojlund returns to starting XI to lead United's line
The return of Rasmus Hojlund to the starting XI will be a welcome sight for Manchester United fans tonight, after the failed experiment with Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine against Crystal Palace on the weekend.
United clearly need a focal point, and even if Ruben Amorim doesn’t have great faith in the strikers at his disposal, it is surely part of his job to coach the best out of those he has rather than play none at all. Hojlund starts, with Joshua Zirkzee on the bench, while Alejandro Garnacho is another attacking option in reserve tonight.
Presumably Mainoo will play alongside Manuel Ugarte in midfield, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo ahead of them supporting Hojlund. Let’s see how they shape up at kick-off.
Amorim: Everyone at United is fighting for their jobs
Amorim also admitted United have taken a risk with their transfer business and that everyone is "fighting" for their jobs until the summer.
United languish 13th in the Premier League after losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace last weekend, when Amorim said the club were "trying everything" to make improvements before Monday's transfer deadline.
But nothing materialised despite the glaring need for goals, leaving the side looking short as they look to get back to winning ways against Leicester in tonight’s FA Cup fourth-round tie.
"What I feel is the club is taking its time," Amorim said. "We know the urgency of the moment, the moment of the team.
"But I think everybody here doesn't want to make some mistakes that we did in past, so we have to improve players we have and to win some games.
"Then in summer we will see but, like I said, we are being really careful with transfers because we did some mistakes in the past."
Ruben Amorim felt Marcus Rashford was unable to adapt to the way he wanted to play and train after taking the decision to let the homegrown Manchester United forward leave Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old played in the Portuguese's first six matches but was dropped for the Manchester derby in mid-December, after which the England international revealed he was ready for a new challenge.
Rashford did not play for United again following the Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen on December 12 and ended seven speculation-filled weeks on the sidelines by joining Aston Villa on loan.
That deal includes an option to make the move permanent for a reported £40million - a price tag that underlines the drop off since signing a new, big-money deal just 18 months ago.
"I couldn't put Marcus to see the way you're supposed to play football and to train the way I see it," Amorim said.
"And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
"I just wish the best to Rashford and to Unai Emery, and they can connect because he's a very good player."
Fifteen-year-old Monga a 'big talent', says Van Nistelrooy
Monga is so young he has to get changed separately from the rest of the squad due to safeguarding rules. He has been playing well for the Under-21s and is considered a major talent for the future.
Van Nistelrooy said this week: “We feel Jeremy is ready for this and of course there’s still a long way to go. We have evaluated his progress and, from last week onwards, he will be part of regular first-team training until the end of the season.
“It’s clear he is a big talent, but we cannot go too quickly with a young boy like that.”
Leicester City team news
Ruud van Nistelrooy makes four changes to his team, bringing in centre-half Caleb Okoli, left-back Luke Thomas, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi – back after two months with a hamstring injury – and striker Patson Daka.
Jannik Vestergaard, Victor Kristiansen and Jamie Vardy are all missing, presumably injured, while Harry Winks drops to the bench. He’s joined there by 15-year-old winger Jeremy Monga, who is very highly thought of at the club.
Manchester United team news
So Dorgu is in from the off, presumably playing at left wing-back, with Diogo Dalot on the right side. It looks to be just about as strong a side as Ruben Amorim can field right now, which shows just how much he values an FA Cup run. There is not much left to play for in the Premier League, of course...
Man Utd v Leicester: Confirmed line-ups
Manchester United XI: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mainoo, Amad, Hojlund.
Subs: Graczyk, Lindelof, De Ligt, Heaven, Casemiro, Eriksen, Collyer, Garnacho, Zirkzee.
Leicester City XI: Hermansen, Justin, Okoli, Faes, Thomas, Soumare, Ndidi, El-Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Daka.
Subs: Stolarczyk, Coulibaly, Coady, Winks, Skipp, Buonanotte, McAteer, Monga, Mavididi.
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