Manchester United are through to the FA Cup’s fifth round, following their 4-2 win against Newport County. The trip to Wales did not go exactly as smooth as many have expected, but Erik Ten Hag’s team in the end found their way to knock the opponent from three divisions below the Premier League. Here is what we learned from this match.
United Given A Big Scare In Wales
Man United got through to the fifth round of the FA Cup, they faced a League Two side and scored four goals playing away from home, yet none of that was still good enough. The Devils conceded twice and were given a scare whilst playing with their strongest lineup, without really resting any of the players. That was concerning, as United needed mere 13 minutes to score twice – first via Bruno Fernandes, and then thanks to Kobbie Mainoo.
But as was often the case this season, instead of ‘killing the game’ soon afterwards, United spurned plenty of chances to score the third or even the fourth goal. Instead, they allowed Newport to make a shocking comeback, which made Rodney Parade bounce. Morris and Evans scored in the 36th and 47th minute, making it 2-2. Fortunately, a rare goal from Antony 20 minutes later gave back the lead, while Rasmus Hojlund scored the fourth in the final minutes of the match.
Bayindir Makes A Nervous Debut
Altay Bayindir made his Manchester United debut, but despite his nerves, the Turkish keeper was powerless to stop the two goals the Welsh team scored. This was not exactly the debut the Turk was hoping for, especially given the another thing not going his way. Andre Onana may return for United’s next match, against Wolves at Molineux, after his Cameroon side was eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations earlier than it was probably expected. As a result of his unsuccessful debut performance, Bayindir may find himself back on the bench for the following match.
Antony Scores, But Frustrations Remain
Antony was one player who was undoubtedly more frustrating than the others. The former Ajax winger struggled to generate opportunities once more, missing several goal-bound attempts. The Brazilian’s agency stated over the week that he would stay in Manchester; nonetheless, he is still having difficulties and it will be intriguing to see how he recovers. This is all the case despite Antony managing to score in this match, which was the first time he scored in a competitive game since 16 April, full nine months ago, in a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest.
Man United Get Another Away Trip
First, they faced the League One side Wigan Athletic at their DW Stadium. Then the draw wanted Man United to travel to Wales and face Newport County from League Two. Now, they might face a Championship side too, as Bristol City are set to have a replay against Nottingham Forest after the draw in their first match. Either way, United will be the traveling team again. If Bristol City are to host the Devils, that will be another good draw for Ten Hag’s side, but if Forest prevail, United will have their chance to get a revenge for the Premier League loss they suffered in the final match of 2023.
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