In the wake of Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final victory against Coventry, only a handful of players were observed partaking in the celebrations post-match.
The showdown at Wembley concluded in a penalty shootout, with the scoreboard reading 3-3 following extra time.
- Erik ten Hag could ‘resign’ from Man Utd job on ‘one condition’
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe has named three players he wants at Man Utd
- Chelsea star tells club he wants to leave this summer to join Champions League team
Erik ten Hag’s team initially took control, establishing a 3-0 lead, only to see their advantage slip away in the latter stages.
A late penalty conversion by Haji Wright, following a handball incident involving Aaron Wan-Bissaka, marked the completion of an astounding rally by the Championship team, who also saw a goal disallowed for offside during extra time under contentious circumstances.
Considering United’s superior league position and financial resources in comparison to Coventry, the inability to maintain their lead was met with disapproval from both supporters and squad members.
The victory prompted varied reactions among the United players; Antony, for instance, gestured defiantly towards the Coventry squad, while Harry Maguire made a point of personally congratulating each opponent.
Hojlund, the scorer of the decisive penalty, naturally reveled in his moment of triumph. He was soon joined by Christian Eriksen, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Omari Forson, as United secured a spot in their second consecutive FA Cup final.
Yet, moments later, both Forson and Wan-Bissaka retreated towards the midfield, whereas Eriksen continued his sprint to celebrate with Hojlund.
Casemiro, unable to witness the final penalty, paused to process the game’s outcome before rejoining his colleagues.
United’s skipper, Bruno Fernandes, also diverted his gaze during Hojlund’s penalty but subsequently engaged in a quick exchange with Diogo Dalot and proceeded to approach the Coventry team.
Amad Diallo, coming off the bench, remained fixated forward for several moments post-penalty before eventually making his way to the rest of the team gathered at midfield.
When asked about Antony’s gesture after the game, Ten Hag replied: “I haven’t seen that so I can’t comment on that, but I know we have a big respect for Coventry City and what they did.
“But also we have to see our performance, which was very good up until 70 minutes.”
