Sir Dave Brailsford had almost disappeared into the directors’ room when he turned to the jubilant Manchester United fans in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and clenched his fists wildly in celebration.
The emotion of days like this can do that to the best of them, even people as cool and calculating as Brailsford. To hell with marginal gains.
We had just witnessed one of the great Cup confrontations. United 4 Liverpool 3, and even that doesn’t tell half the story of this thrilling match.
In the end, United had two defenders on the pitch and Bruno Fernandes in central defense marking Virgil van Dijk. Antony was at left back. Ten Hag risked finding himself on his back as he urged his 10 men to hold on for the final seconds before they could celebrate a famous victory over the old enemy and a return to Wembley.
The final whistle brought the kind of noise you don’t hear enough of at Old Trafford these days. It’s not as loud and intimidating as some like to think, but it was bouncing yesterday. Discussions about bulldozing the old venue sparked an emotional debate. It contains over a century of precious memories and now we can add one more.
Antony and Amad Diallo were among the scorers in Man United’s dramatic win over Liverpool.
Erik ten Hag couldn’t help but show his emotion after a crucial victory for his Man United side
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What a game. Marcus Rashford could and should have won it with the final kick of normal time, then gave Scott McTominay the chance to win it late in extra time, but the midfielder missed. Then, when Amad Diallo found the net in extra time, he was sent off for celebrating. We could forgive him for his moment of overexcitement.
In the midst of the chaos stood Ten Hag, stoic as always until he even became an animated image in those final, frantic moments.
The Dutchman’s concession in the spring was to replace the turtlenecks and coats that kept him warm all winter with a suit and tie. It also made him look like someone heading into a job interview, and that seemed entirely appropriate as Liverpool threatened to extinguish their last trophy hope this season.
In the stands, Brailsford sat with an impassive face. The new order is being established under Ineos, and questions arise about Ten Hag’s place within it. Dan Ashworth as director of football, Jason Wilcox as technical director, but what about the manager? Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter are some of the names proposed for a vacancy that does not yet exist.
Who knows what Brailsford and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are thinking, but it was the kind of victory, the kind of occasion, the kind of emotion that can sway even the toughest businessmen.
The opportunity is still there for Ten Hag if he can seize it. He hasn’t finished yet.
With Sir Dave Brailsford among the spectators, one would think that the defeat could have been fatal to the Dutchman’s reign at Old Trafford.
But United delivered when they needed it most and could now move forward and change the entire perception of their season.
In a weekend of wonderful FA Cup drama, it should be remembered that United’s rivals for Champions League qualification, Tottenham and Aston Villa, both dropped points.
Finishing in the top four – or top five if England’s UEFA coefficient gives the Premier League an extra Champions League spot – and winning the FA Cup would be a good way to end an eventful season. So much so that even at the end of March, we are still talking about turning points.
“It’s possible, but we missed so many opportunities,” the United boss said. “Moments like this can help you. Every team needs these moments in a season. This could be that moment where the team can have the confidence and energy to do incredible things.
“When you beat Liverpool like we did, you can beat any opponent. So it’s up to us to prove that point.
“The first 30 minutes were the best of our season. This shows that the future of this team is very bright. There is enormous potential. Coming up are players who are developing very well like Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Ten Hag can still be part of that future. Clearly, this isn’t a group of players who have given up on their coach, even if his second season didn’t go as well as his first.
Even though this season hasn’t gone as well as his first campaign at the club, Ten Hag can still be part of the future.
The injuries didn’t help, but there was too much chaos. It was United’s fourth 4-3 this season, with two wins and two defeats.
Ineos prefers a little more order. Rigor, to use Ratcliffe’s favorite word. This season, and this game in particular, was not the same at all. No one was complaining though, least of all Brailsford as he let himself get carried away.
Ten Hag return to Wembley with a huge opportunity to reach back-to-back FA Cup finals by beating Coventry City. There is still everything to play for.