Manchester United legend Roy Keane has hit out at his former club and manager Erik ten Hag after the Red Devils threw away a three-goal lead against Championship side Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday.
United were cruising at 3-0 up inside an hour after goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes and still led by that scoreline with 20 minutes left on the clock.
But Coventry pulled two goals back through Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare on 71 and 79 minutes, respectively, and levelled in added time as Haji Wright converted from the penalty spot after Aaron Wan-Bissaka was adjudged to have handled in the area.
Roy Keane looks on ahead of Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City in April 2024. (Image credit: Getty Images)
“I can’t believe what I’m watching,” Keane said on ITV at the end of the 90 minutes. “You’re 3-0 up, you’re coasting and you start slowing the game down. You look for leadership, you see the goalkeeper messing around.
“Obviously once that first goal for Coventry goes in, they get confidence and momentum and it’s all with Coventry now. But United, if they don’t get over the line in this game… I don’t know.
“Huge credit to Coventry, United… shocking. Coventry, I take my hat off to them.”
Both sides hit the crossbar in extra time and Coventry thought they had won it right at the end, only for Victor Torp’s effort in added time to be ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside.
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Marcus Rashford saw his penalty saved in the shootout, but United went on to win after two Coventry misses and set up a second successive FA Cup final against Manchester City.
“They [Manchester United] know they were lucky today, they had the game won at 3-0,” Keane said. “They were almost embarrassed to win at the end. They’re in the cup final, they got the job done. But every time I see this Man United team, I don’t like what I see.
“They’re hard to like, they just play in moments. We talk about leadership, characters – I don’t see any of that in this Man United group.
And he added: “We say the same thing every week with United. You just don’t know what you’re going to get with them. I’m getting fed up with these players.”
