Man Utd narrowly beat fourth-tier team.

Despite fielding their strongest lineup and being pegged back to 2-2 at one point, Manchester United still beat hosts Newport County 4-2 in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Man Utd fielded their strongest possible lineup, with key players like Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, and Casemiro returning to the starting XI. Goalkeeper Altay Bayindir also made his debut for Man Utd, as Andre Onana was still recovering from the African tournament. However, the trip to Wales was not an easy one for the "Red Devils," despite the significant difference in the two teams' league positions.

The visitors, of course, played better and quickly opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Luke Shaw passed to Fernandes on the left wing, and the Man Utd captain played a one-touch pass to Antony, who raced down the flank. Antony passed the ball back to Fernandes, who unleashed a powerful shot that bounced off the ground and into the near corner of the net.

Manchester United (in white shirts) celebrate their second goal against Newport at Rodney Parade, Wales, in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 28, 2024. Photo: Reuters .

Just six minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead from a nearly identical situation, but from the opposite direction. Defender Diogo Dalot dribbled from the right wing into the penalty area, then passed to 19-year-old midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who curled a shot into the far corner from nearly 15 meters. This was Mainoo's first professional goal after 14 matches.

Man Utd then squandered a series of opportunities, such as Antony's close-range shot hitting an opponent, or Garnacho's shot hitting the crossbar without providing a pass for a teammate. This wasteful play cost the visitors dearly, as in the 37th minute, a home player scored a spectacular goal. Midfielder Bryn Morris unexpectedly curled the ball from over 25 meters, sending it grazed Lisandro Martinez's head before soaring high, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Bayindir.

The fourth-tier team dealt another blow to Man Utd at the start of the second half with an equalizer, making it 2-2. Defender Adam Lewis delivered a clear cross from the left with Antony unmarked, allowing striker Will Evans to rush in and tap the ball into the far corner from close range. Evans is a Man Utd fan who once milked cows to earn extra money to pursue his dream of becoming a footballer.

The moment Will Evans (second from left) equalized for Newport at 2-2. Photo: Guardian

The cameras focused on the displeased expression of manager Erik ten Hag after Manchester United conceded their second goal. His face only relaxed slightly after Antony put Manchester United 3-2 up in the 68th minute. Luke Shaw was credited with a right-footed curling shot from the edge of the penalty area that hit the post and rebounded, allowing Antony to tap it into the empty net with his right foot. This was Antony's first goal of the season in all competitions, and it was scored with his weaker foot.

In injury time of the second half, striker Rasmus Hojlund finally got his revenge with a goal that sealed the 4-2 victory. Garnacho contributed with a through pass to midfielder Omari Forson, who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Forson's shot rebounded perfectly to Hojlund, who tapped the ball into the empty net, scoring his eighth goal in all competitions this season.

Newport is a Welsh club playing in the fourth tier of English football, three leagues below Manchester United. Their Rodney Parade stadium only has a capacity of just over 7,800 spectators, so naturally, there were no empty seats for such a big match. Many spectators even stood on the balconies of houses surrounding the stadium to watch the game without going inside.

Man Utd's opponent in round five will be either second-division side Bristol City or Nottingham Forest. Before that, Ten Hag's team will travel to Wolverhampton on February 1st for a Premier League match.

Xuan Binh

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