February 08, (THEWILL) – Manchester United advanced to the FA Cup fifth round following a late 2-1 victory against Leicester City at Old Trafford, with Harry Maguire scoring the decisive goal in the final moments of the match.
The controversial winning goal materialised when Bruno Fernandes delivered a free-kick towards Maguire, who appeared to be in an offside position before heading the ball beyond Leicester goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen. Without Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in operation, the goal remained valid despite Leicester’s protests.
The first half witnessed United struggling to generate meaningful opportunities, failing to register a single shot on target. Leicester capitalised on this lacklustre performance when Manuel Ugarte lost possession in his defensive half, leading to Bobby Decordova-Reid converting the rebound after Andre Onana had initially saved Wilfred Ndidi’s attempt.
United manager Ruben Amorim made a pivotal substitution at half-time, introducing Alejandro Garnacho in place of Patrick Dorgu, who had been given his first start at right wing-back. The Argentine’s impact proved immediate, with his dynamic run creating the equaliser, finished expertly by fellow substitute Joshua Zirkzee.
Despite Leicester’s determined defensive efforts to force extra time, Maguire’s late intervention settled the contest, sending United through to the next round of the competition. The absence of VAR technology proved crucial in the match’s outcome, with questions remaining about the legitimacy of the winning goal.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
