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.
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
Asked about the potential benefit of having somebody that knows United like Van Nistelrooy, the head coach said: "The most important thing to have as a coach is a staff who understand the way you want to play, the standards you have.
"When I say standards, I am not saying Ruud don't have these standards - he was a legend of this club, he knows what it takes to win.
"But I prefer to work with a team that brought me here. It's clear that is important for me, to explain the same thing to the players, so it was that decision.
"I'm really comfortable and confident that I know how to win, no matter the club...of course we are losing and in the moment you need experienced guys, but I'm not lost, or I feel a of something in the staff. We just need to improve as a team."
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
"It was not a difficult situation because it was so clear for me, I just had to explain," Amorim said. "I think it's really simple and he understands. He is a man of football, he understands this situation.
"I have my team and my staff. I could keep Ruud because it was a good thing for me, a popular thing to do.
"But I will not put Ruud in front of my guys, no matter what, and then I had to put a person like Ruud in the end on the hierarchy on my staff, and I think that was not fair on Ruud.
"To show respect to Ruud I was really clear with him and I explained that I have my team, I will continue the same way and I will not put a guy like Ruud, a legend of this club, in the end of the hierarchy in the staff.
"So, it was the clear decision, really simple to explain and he took it like a class guy as he is."
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
There is of course the slightly awkward sub-plot to this game, that Ruben Amorim chose not to keep Ruud van Nistelrooy on at United after taking charge.
The popular former striker returned to Old Trafford in the summer as an assistant coach and stepped in as caretaker manager after Erik ten Hag was sacked in late October.
Van Nistelrooy oversaw three wins and a draw before handing over to new boss Amorim, who decided to bring his own coaching staff rather than retain the United fan favourite.
The Dutchman had wanted to stay and was swiftly appointed manager at Leicester City.
Man Utd v Leicester
Ruben Amorim and Manchester United are in need of a positive result. The Red Devils have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and are in disarray in the Premier League, leaving the Europa League and the FA Cup as their only chances of picking up silverware this season.
United’s penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in the previous round was a confidence boost for Amorim’s shaky side but back-to-back defeats in the league has left them on unsteady footing ahead of this potentially tricky tie. Marcus Rashford has been sent away to Aston Villa and, with the remaining forwards all struggling for goals, Amorim may need to come up with a creative solution to secure the win.
But Leicester are in poor form too. They won just once in four matches since a 6-2 demolition of QPR in the previous round and shipping four goals against Everton last time out leaves Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side in a vulnerable position.
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