MANCHESTER: Manc­hester United’s stunning 4-3 comeback victory over Liverpool in extra time in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday kept their trophy dreams alive and manager Erik ten Hag hopes it will also be the catalyst to turn around their Premier League fortunes.

United’s final chance at silverware this season appeared to be slipping away at Old Trafford on Sunday as twice the home side needed to come from behind late on to end Liverpool’s chances of a quadruple in Jurgen Klopp’s final season.

Amad Diallo practically blew the roof off Old Trafford when he netted the winner in the 121st minute after Marcus Rashford equalised eight minutes earlier and the 12-times FA Cup winners booked a semi-final spot against second-tier Coventry City.

Ten Hag had been under rising pressure as his side sit sixth in the Premier League, nine points adrift of even a place in the top four and exited both the Champions League and League Cup early.

But the former Ajax boss believes his side are on an upward trajectory having lost just twice in 12 games in 2024.

“This could be that [pivotal] moment where the team can really believe, and the energy too, that they can do amazing things,” delighted Dutchman Ten Hag said. “And I think when you can beat Liverpool in the way we did, that you can beat any opponent, so it’s up to us to prove the point. I said this also on Friday [in the pre-game press conference] — and today we did.”

United has been a dreary place on many nights this season, but Sunday’s battle will go down as a classic.

“When it’s Manchester Untied against Liverpool, it’s one of the world’s best football matches. It is historical,” Ten Hag said. “I thought the first 35 minutes were the best I have seen from my team this season.”

United’s young guns came to the fore as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo shone before Diallo came off the bench to score just his second ever goal for the club.

“The first 35 minutes we show again that the future of this team is very bright. There is huge potential. We have to get it out and get consistency.”

United sped out of the blocks and were rewarded when Scott McTominay tapped home his ninth goal of the season after Garnacho was denied by Caoimhin Kelleher.

Defeat was just Liverpool’s fifth in all competitions this season, two of which came with weakened sides in the group stages of the Europa League.

Klopp admitted his side showed the first signs of fatigue from a draining schedule, but they did not go down without a fight.

Two goals in three minutes towards the end of the first half turned the tie in the visitors’ favour as Alexis Mac Allister blasted past Andre Onana before Mohamed Salah struck for the 13th time in 14 games against United.

United’s challenge was petering out meekly until Antony came off the bench to score at Old Trafford for the first time in over a year when he found the far corner three minutes from time.

Antony’s equaliser set the fuse for a frantic finale as Liverpool hit the post through Harvey Elliott before Rashford missed a glorious chance even before extra-time.

Elliott’s deflected effort put Liverpool back in front in the 105th minute, but Rashford made amends by drilling home to level at 3-3.

And just as Liverpool sensed the chance to win it from a corner at the death, Garnacho broke clear and teed up Diallo to score his first United goal in three years.

“The game got a little bit spicy, a little more special because it’s an FA Cup game and if you lose, you’re out,” United captain Bruno Fernandes said. “We know the rivalry between fans, we know how United fans wanted us to win the game to give us something to celebrate because it’s not been great for us.”

Meanwhile, Elliott believes Liverpool’s challenge to win the Premier League and Europa League will benefit from the extra rest afforded by their FA Cup exit.

Klopp admitted it was the first time he had seen his players struggle physically as they played their 46th game of a hectic season.

And Reds midfielder Elliott said: “Now we can focus on other things, it frees up a few weeks for us. Not as many games any more so the lads can be fresh and we can recover properly and focus on the rest of the season.”

The defeat was only Liverpool’s third in domestic competitions this season and Elliott doesn’t expect it to wreck the League Cup winners’ treble bid. “Our confidence is always there, it isn’t going to affect us at all,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024