• Manager believes team can ‘beat any opponent’ after cup victory
• Loss ends Liverpool dreams of quadruple in Klopp’s final season

Erik ten Hag claimed Manchester United’s FA Cup victory against ­Liverpool could be the turning point he and his team need after beating their fierce rivals in an epic ­quarter‑final at Old Trafford.

United came from 2-1 down in normal time and 3-2 down in extra time to win 4-3 thanks to Amad Diallo’s 120th‑minute winner. The match-winning substitute was sent off for removing his shirt during the wild celebration, having earlier been booked for preventing a quick ­Liverpool free-kick.

Manchester United’s FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool shows that sometimes chaos can triumph over structure

All Michael Edwards could do was smile in utter disbelief. Old Trafford was treated to an epic encounter of structure versus chaos, the command of Jürgen Klopp against the apparent wishful thinking of Erik ten Hag, and the chaotic dreamers prevailed. For the data specialists and marginal gains obsessives sitting in the directors box at Manchester United, Liverpool’s FA Cup elimination was a pertinent reminder of the game’s ability to enthral thanks to the uncontrollables.

United answered their manager’s SOS call – save our season – with two defenders on the pitch throughout the second period of extra time. Harry Maguire and Diogo Dalot were joined at left-back by Antony, who had salvaged the quarter-final with an impressive impact in his natural position in normal time only to be inexplicably shifted to full-back for the additional 30 minutes.

At the beginning of last season, Erik ten Hag oversaw a 2-1 Premier League victory against Liverpool at Old Trafford to ignite his managerial tenure. Nobody had seen it coming after defeats in his opening two matches. It was like a fairytale.

It has soured somewhat this season, the difficulties piling up, but now this – another victory here against Liverpool that few had predicted. And, in the heat of the moment at a delirious Old Trafford, as the club looked ahead to an FA Cup semi-final against Mark Robins’s Coventry, it felt like the result which could save Ten Hag.

• Updates from Old Trafford with score 2-2 after 90 minutes
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“The Paul Madeley of the 21st century!” says Phil Keegan. “Wow.” I wasn’t expecting that. “I totally got that reference but I am ancient (well, 64 soon). I have an American friend here in Vietnam where we live who has become interested in football, or soccer as he insists on calling it, and one way football has changed since I was a child is that players these days tend to be very specialised in terms of the position they play whereas when I was growing up they were expected to play any position. I actually used Paul Madeley as an example in that he is the only player to have played every outfield position in one season, so I enjoyed your comment.” Thanks Phil. Versatility ain’t what it used to be, much like nostalgia.

Casemiro’s injury is the same one that kept him out for most of the autumn, according to the Manchester Evening News – a hamstring. The MEN makes it the 51st injury to hit United this season. More here.

Liverpool’s youngsters have kept team on track before FA Cup quarter-final but United have been hampered by absentees

Liverpool have used 35 players in all competitions in an energy-sapping season requiring a fight on four fronts as Jürgen Klopp aims to leave with a pot of gold. Despite the need to change things constantly, form has not been adversely affected as players who have arrived in the first‑team squad from near or far have seamlessly transitioned.

There was a complete renovation of the midfield as four players arrived to complement Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones, while a cabal of academy graduates have received debuts thanks to a consistently lengthy injury list, which has meant Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson, among others, missing crucial parts of the season. Still Liverpool are challenging at home and abroad.

• FA Cup is last chance of silverware for club this season
• ‘We believe in ourselves but on Sunday we have to prove that’

Erik ten Hag believes he and his Manchester United players must “save their season together” by beating Liverpool in the FA Cup ­quarter‑final at Old Trafford on Sunday to keep alive their last chance of silverware.

United are 17 points behind Arsenal and Liverpool, the top two in the Premier League, and out of Europe, so claiming the FA Cup is their final hope of not ending the season trophyless. Jürgen Klopp’s side will arrive in impressive form. Ten Hag was asked if he trusted his players to rescue their campaign.

Claiming trophy can no longer save a career but a convincing Manchester United display would generate owners’ goodwill

Remember the days when the FA Cup could save a manager? Remember specifically 1990, when the assumption was that, after eight league games without a win, Alex Ferguson would be sacked by Manchester United if they went out of the FA Cup in the third round against Nottingham Forest, and how, with a grimly dogged performance, they won with a second-half Mark Robins goal?

That goal is a key moment in the legend of Ferguson at United. After three unconvincing years, he had splashed out £7.5m on five signings the previous summer and had been facing fan protests as the likes of George Best and Emlyn Hughes called for his head. That season they lost 5-1 to Manchester City, when such things were all but unthinkable. For a couple of home games attendances dipped below 35,000. That was the winter of the “Three years of excuses and it’s still crap. Ta ra Fergie” banner at Old Trafford, when the frustration of more than two decades without a league title really began to be felt.

• Forward has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain
• ‘We didn’t re-sign him for five years to sell him,’ says Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United have no intention of selling Marcus Rashford this summer. The forward signeda new five-year deal after hitting 30 goals last season but has scored only seven times in a poor campaign for all connected to the club.

Rashford was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain again this week, which could provide United with a huge windfall at a time of Premier League profit and sustainability considerations. It would represent pure profit because he is a homegrown player but Ten Hag says financial benefits are outweighed by the player’s importance to the future.

It’s an eight-game lineup, with places at Wembley up for grabs and a quartet of top-flight matches too

Gary O’Neil conceded his decision to start Pedro Neto against Fulham backfired, with the Portuguese winger set to miss Wolves’ FA Cup date with Coventry on Saturday after aggravating a hamstring problem. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is also a doubt with a knee injury sustained in the same game, so opportunities could arise for those on the periphery. Nathan Fraser, a 19-year-old forward, made his full debut last time out. Noha Lemina, the 18-year-old brother of the midfielder Mario and who was on the bench against Fulham, could get his first minutes in old gold while the 18-year-old striker Leon Chiwome – tipped for a bright future last year in our Next Generation series – is another untried option. The 20-year-old midfielder Tawanda Chirewa could also feature but O’Neil, with last week’s big calls fresh in the memory, will be careful not to be too bold given what is at stake. Ben Fisher

Wolves v Coventry, FA Cup, Saturday 12.15pm (all times GMT)

Burnley v Brentford, Premier League, Saturday 3pm

Luton v Nottingham Forest, Premier League, Saturday 3pm

Fulham v Tottenham, Premier League, Saturday 5.30pm

Manchester City v Newcastle, FA Cup, Saturday 5.30pm

Chelsea v Leicester City, FA Cup, Sunday 12.45pm

• Fans in Sir Bobby Charlton Stand being moved next season
• United say young players will benefit from sitting there

A fan group has expressed displeasure after Manchester United cited youth players’ development among the reasons for moving their seats at Old Trafford. South Stand United was formed after supporters in block S122 of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand were informed their regular seats would be unavailable next season.

The group says it is planning to protest at Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool and has been irked by United’s chief operating officer, Collette Roche, saying the location could help young players’ development. “We believe, especially for our younger players, that having a side view of the action is optimal to their development and future performance, and being located close to the suite they access is also important,” Roche said in a letter seen by the PA news agency.

Bryan Robson scored the best goal of his career as United knocked Liverpool out of the Cup at Maine Road in 1985

By Steven Pye for That 1980s Sports Blog

Bryan Robson earned the nickname Captain Marvel by putting his body on the line for club and country in the 1980s. He inspired those around him and dragged every inch out of his ability for Manchester United and England. “I have been fortunate to work with some exceptionally gifted footballers, many of them magical, world-class talents,” said Ron Atkinson in Andy Mitten’s book We’re The Famous Man United. “But Robbo, without a doubt, is the finest, the greatest, the most rounded and accomplished footballer I have ever worked with.”

After managing Robson at West Brom, Atkinson brought him to Old Trafford for a British club record fee of £1.5m in 1981. By the start of the 1982-83 season, the midfielder had been promoted to the United captaincy.

Liverpool youngster handles Haaland, Thomas Frank should face a kinder ride and another Luton fairytale

This was a phenomenal Liverpool performance, and the quality and consistency of the players’ decision-making – except, perhaps, in front of goal – was extraordinary. It is almost insulting to the collective to single out any individual for credit and Jarell Quansah was certainly not seeking any when he told Sky after the game that he “didn’t have the perfect game but I’m striving to be good”. There was one obvious mistake from him, when he surrendered the ball toJulián Álvarez in the 57th minute with a goal very nearly the result but beyond that moment he was strikingly assured. A couple of highlights: controlling Erling Haaland’s run in the 35th minute and dancing through a few challenges in the 80th before sending in a low shot that was palmed away – demonstrations of his calmness and bravery. Quansah has played 24 times this season, enough to feel part of the group, but before this game his Premier League starts had come against Luton, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Wolves. For him to produce such an assured display in a game of this importance is testament to his character and another demonstration of Jürgen Klopp’s almost peerless man-management. Simon Burnton

Match report: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester City

In November’s reverse fixture, Alejandro Garnacho flew into the Goodison Park air to beat Jordan Pickford with a searing scissor kick that kickstarted a 3-0 victory. On Saturday afternoon, the winger made patsies of the defenders James Tarkowski and Ben Godfrey to claim the penalties that gave Manchester United a precious three points.

The spot-kicks were scored by Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, which “they decided between themselves on the pitch”, Erik ten Hag explained.

• Updates from the 12.30pm GMT kick-off at Old Trafford
• Get in touch! Send your thoughts in an email to Will

Erik ten Hag speaks: “You need movement behind, how do we get that, it was to come from our striker, he has to make the movement behind. But we also need movement in behind from others. It has to work out. How do we get that movement in behind? How do we get box occupation. We have to control their counters, and we must keep the ball to not give them set-plays. They are very good at it. We have to win. We have to win every game. It’s like our way of life. It doesn’t change anything in our approach.”

Old Trafford needs a bit of work.

• Plan is to explore regeneration and how to fund ground
• Gary Neville and Andy Burnham also included on taskforce

Manchester United have announced the creation of an Old Trafford regeneration taskforce that will explore the building of a new state-of-the-art stadium, including how to finance a project that the club accepts it cannot undertake alone.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s largest individual shareholder, wants to construct a home for the club on the site where Old Trafford stands. Sebastian Coe will chair the taskforce, which has a remit to regenerate the area and seek strategic partnerships. Other members include Gary Neville, the former United captain, and Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester.

• Manager has 61 victories from 100 matches at United
• ‘No team can deal with so many injuries,’ Ten Hag says

Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United “could easily” have won another 14 matches during his time as manager but for injuries.

United host Everton on Saturday without 10 first-team players, after consecutive Premier League defeats by Fulham and Manchester City. Everton are without a victory in 10 league games and if they pull off a shock at Old Trafford it would be another blow to Ten Hag as he attempts to impress the new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, regardless of player availability.

First host second in a seismic Anfield collision, while there’s another big battle as fourth entertain fifth at Villa

Bruno Fernandes lamented that last week’s Manchester derby defeat came down to “individual quality from the players of City”. Difficult to argue with, but the most frustrating part of United’s loss was the failure to commit for the full 90 minutes. At 2-1 down even some senior players had their heads down and appeared to show a lack of effort in the final 15 minutes. Never mind individual quality, that in itself is unforgivable. And that attitude only drives future opponents on. Jordan Pickford has said he is confident that Everton will outrun Erik ten Hag’s side on Saturday. “For me, I think [with] the intensity and the workrate the lads give out, the running stats. I think we will be able to get after them. We will be able to run all over them.” Yara El-Shaboury

Manchester United v Everton, Saturday 12.30pm (all times GMT)

Crystal Palace v Luton, Saturday 3pm

Bournemouth v Sheffield United, Saturday 3pm

Wolves v Fulham, Saturday 3pm

Arsenal v Brentford, Saturday 5.30pm

Aston Villa v Tottenham, Sunday 1pm

West Ham v Burnley, Sunday 2pm

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has said some Manchester United players did not want to be captain for certain matches while he was the manager. Solskjær, who was in charge from December 2018 to November 2021, described it as 'petty' and displaying 'a lack of ambition' in critical comments about generation Z. 'No one said ‘no’ to being the club captain, it was just for certain games,' Solskjær told the Stick to Football podcast. 'Yes, but they didn’t want to say it themselves, they had other people come up to me and say it. It was disappointing. It’s a different generation, it’s Gen Z. It’s petty and shows a lack of ambition.'

Ole Gunnar Solskjær was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.” https://twitter.com/WeAreTheOverlap

• Solskjær claims some Manchester United players said no to captaincy

• Former manager critical of ‘petty’ generation Z
• He says a lot of players would not do interviews

Ole Gunnar Solskjær has said some Manchester United players did not want to be captain for certain matches while he was the manager.

Solskjær, who was in charge from December 2018 to November 2021, described that as “petty” and displaying “a lack of ambition” in critical comments about generation Z.

• United set to make approach for Crystal Palace sporting director
• Guéhi, Eze and Olise among Freedman’s signings at Palace

Manchester United are set to make an official approach for Crystal Palace’s sporting director, Dougie Freedman, with the former Scotland striker lined up by Ineos to take over as the head of recruitment.

Freedman, who had a successful spell as Palace’s manager before returning as sporting director in 2017, is understood to have been identified as the ideal candidate to work within the structure being put in place by Sir Jim Ratcliffe at United. The 49-year-old has earned plaudits for his ability to spot emerging talent in the Championship and beyond, having been instrumental in Palace signing Marc Guéhi, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, among others.