da jogodeouro： The pair stepped off the bench to score crucial goals in Sunday's remarkable quarter-final and keep the Red Devils' hopes of a trophy alive

da dobrowin： What. A. Game. Manchester United and Liverpool have played out some epics over the years, but Sunday's seven-goal thriller at Old Trafford may well catapult to the very top of the list, the Red Devils coming out on top in the end after super-sub Amad Diallo's effort right at the end of extra-time secured a 4-3 victory.

It is a win that keeps United's hopes of ending the season with silverware alive. Of course, that might not be enough to keep Erik ten Hag in a job long-term, especially if his side fail to qualify for next season's Champions League, but lifting a trophy at Wembley in May would at least give him something to cling on to.

Championship side Coventry City are now all that stands between them and a place in the final, though for a long time against Liverpool it seemed that their FA Cup journey was going to end with a whimper. Having gone 2-1 down after the visitors scored twice on the stroke of half-time, United came out for the second half looking listless, and were camped in their own half for long periods. That they even took the game to extra-time was down to a late intervention from another substitute, Antony.

Jurgen Klopp will wonder how his team didn't put the game to bed in that second period given their dominance, and he will be even more frustrated that they threw the game away in extra-time having taken the lead again via Harvey Elliott's deflected drive. In the end, two moments where the Reds gave the ball away in dangerous positions proved costly, as Marcus Rashford and Amad turned the game on its head one last time.

There will be no historic quadruple for Klopp in his final season in charge of Liverpool, and no more trips to Wembley before he walks away from the job this summer. Winning the Premier League and Europa League remain definite possibilities, and he should be able to count on even more players after the international break as the cavalry prepares to return following their injury lay-offs.

This was a day, though, that belonged to United – eventually. The good news is these two will go at it again in the league in just three weeks' time.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Old Trafford…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Man Utd's forgotten wingers

Antony and Amad cost a combined £125 million ($159m), yet both wingers had almost been forgotten about in recent weeks, with the former having started just two matches in 2024 while the latter had appeared as a substitute on just three previous occasions this season. But when it came to the last chance for United to salvage something from this awful campaign, they both stepped out from the shadows and made the difference.

Antony played like a man possessed when he replaced Rasmus Hojlund, and after several bright moments, he sent the game into extra-time, beating Caoimhin Kelleher with a swing of his right foot, the one he is normally so afraid to use. It was only his second goal in 39 matches, with his other strike this season coming at League Two side Newport County earlier in this cup run. However, it continued an intriguing record of scoring against top-level opponents (not including Newport) after the Brazilian previously netted against Arsenal, Manchester City and Barcelona last season. He continued to play like he had a point to prove thereafter, and nearly scored again in extra-time, hitting a scorching effort just over the bar.

Amad, too, did very well when he came on, though focused mostly on defending. But when United poured forward, he was the one who sprinted up alongside Garnacho, taking one touch to beat Conor Bradley and another to knock the ball in off the far post.

“I am so happy for him,” Ten Hag said of the Ivorian. “He is one of the players who had huge setbacks. Returning when there is a lot of competition in his position, doesn’t always get the time he deserves to play but then he comes on, shows his contribution by scoring a goal. But we know he can do it. I am very pleased he can do it. But also we had another sub, Antony, score the equaliser. He is also in a problematic situation, but he is also fighting.”

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Rasmus Hojlund

United had badly missed the presence of Hojlund, whose latest injury had interrupted a run of scoring seven times in his previous six matches. His absence had left Ten Hag without any centre-forwards for the previous four matches, leading to Bruno Fernandes playing as a false nine in the Manchester derby and Rashford toiling by himself against Fulham.

But the Denmark striker had a brutal return to action, coming up against the towering presence of Virgil van Dijk and barely getting involved in the game. He had just 13 touches and, unlike on previous occasions this season, there were few protests from the Old Trafford faithful when he was substituted.

Hojlund did not hold the ball up with his usual confidence and he also struggled to dovetail with Alejandro Garnacho and Rashford, often losing the ball on the rare occasion he got hold of it. He also had no shots on target, losing his footing when he was released in the area by midway through the first half.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Erik ten Hag

This match was one of Ten Hag's final chances to prove to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford that he was worth keeping on as United's manager, given the season would have been effectively over had they lost on Sunday and been knocked out of the FA Cup. Instead, they have another trip to Wembley to look forward to, their fourth under Ten Hag.

The manager got his tactics spot on, despite having another big injury to deal with after losing Casemiro to a muscle problem. And his side played some of their best football of the season in the first half, albeit they shipped two goals right before half-time. But they showed their character, something they have been severely lacking this season. Ten Hag also had the presence of mind to stay calm amid the madness enfolding in front of him, and his changes won the match.

The victory also brought the curtain down on a satisfying Premier League weekend for Ten Hag, as top-four rivals Aston Villa and Tottenham both dropped points, leaving the door slightly ajar for the Red Devils to qualify for the Champions League if they can find some consistency after the international break.

Getty ImagesWINNER: United's homegrown heroes

Before Amad's extra-time heroics, two players had made their mark on the game for Ten Hag's side more than anyone else: Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, the star pupils of United's 'Class of 2022'.

Mainoo was overlooked by Gareth Southgate last week for his latest England squad and looked like he was on a mission to prove the Three Lions boss wrong as he took control of the midfield. The 18-year-old did not have Casemiro by his side this time, but if anything he played better without the Brazilian. He kept putting out fires but also dictated United's play, and he was responsible for one of the best moments of the game that did not lead to a goal, when he danced his way past two Liverpool players to release Rashford, which in turn led to McTominay firing straight at Kelleher.

Mainoo was given a standing ovation when he was taken off while Klopp was so impressed he gave him a fist-pump. High praise indeed.

Speaking of high praise, Garnacho was the outstanding player from the first minute to the last. He played his part in three of United's goals: his shot led to McTominay's opener, his run created the danger from which Antony struck the first equaliser and he then unselfishly teed up Amad.

Mainoo and Garnacho flew the flag for the latest generation of homegrown United players, but Rashford and McTominay also represented the old boys network with their goals, as United's academy again had a day to remember.