Manchester United fans have noticed a concerning pattern that they believe is costing their team, and they are pointing fingers at manager Erik ten Hag.
In Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City, United initially seemed poised for victory with a 3-0 lead. However, a remarkable comeback from Coventry saw the match extend into extra time.
The turning point came when Ellis Simms scored for Coventry, followed by Callum O’Hare’s deflected strike, narrowing the gap to just one goal.
United’s passive play in the final minutes led to a penalty awarded to Coventry in the 95th minute, resulting in a dramatic equalizer by Haji Wright and forcing the match into extra time.
Although Coventry celebrated what they thought was a winning goal by Victor Torp in the 121st minute, VAR intervened and ruled it offside.
United eventually won the penalty shootout 4-2, but their fans were left bewildered by the team’s collapse, with many pointing the blame at manager Erik ten Hag for a specific decision.
The substitution of winger Alejandro Garnacho in the 66th minute, with United leading 3-0, raised eyebrows among fans. This was the third time this month that Garnacho had been withdrawn from a match with his team ahead.
Previously, he was substituted against Chelsea, resulting in a late comeback win for Chelsea, and again versus Liverpool, which ended in a draw.l
On social media, United fans expressed frustration with Ten Hag’s decision to repeatedly substitute Garnacho. Some described it as “an absolute joke,” while others criticized Ten Hag’s reluctance to substitute other players like Marcus Rashford.
Despite Garnacho’s inconsistent performances, he has been a rare bright spot for United this season, contributing nine goals and four assists in 42 appearances acrossall competitions.
