‘Good result but not a good performance’

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim once again criticised his players despite getting through to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Red Devils squeaked past Leicester thanks to Harry Maguire’s last-gasp winner, but it was not without controversy.

Leicester’s former centre-back nodded home in the final seconds, but was in a clear offside position.

But with no VAR in use during the early rounds, the goal stood with the linesman somehow missing four United players stood in an offside position.

Amorim will take the win, but he admits it was not a great performance at Old Trafford – a common theme of his post-match interviews this season.

He said: “We had to believe until the end but this game has nothing to do with the time of Fergie. I think the performance, we have to do so much better with the ball, without the ball.

“We didn’t have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first-half. Then in the second half we played a little bit better, with a little more speed, winning second balls. Then we managed to turn things around so it was a good result not a good performance.

🗣️ “We’re not defeated in FERGIE time. We’re defeated in OFFSIDE time.”

Ruud van Nistelrooy gives his thoughts on Manchester United’s winner#LCFC | @EmiratesFACup | @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/EmZG1Gu1nC

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) February 7, 2025

“The coach is the first responsible, when one team doesn’t perform, doesn’t improve, it is the coach but we are here to do things and to see the game, to study the game and try to improve for the next game.

“I think it’s the small things, if you see the games sometimes it’s to control the ball, to have the ball, don’t give the ball away in the first pressure. It’s the small things, it’s the big things, it’s everything.

“It’s this moment, it’s hard away but especially at home but we have to cope with that and we will try to do it next game.”

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy was bemused with the decision and joked that his time lost in “offside time”.

He said: “We are not defeated in Fergie time, we are defeated in offside time.

“This wasn’t necessary. VAR you have in a couple centimetres, a couple of inches, this was half a metre, clear in line. That was a hard one to take because the team deserves to draw in the end. Then extra time, stay in the game you, never know what happens.

“It was a very good team performance, started really well, pressing United. On the ball very stable. Deserved to go 1-0 up at half-time. Of course we know in the second half they’re going to put some pressure on us and some chances but not even that much.

“We deserved to go into extra time, go for the battle in extra time and maybe penalties.

“Decisions like these in our level are hard to swallow.”