The 2023/24 term, although not perfect by any means, was still a memorable one for the Manchester United fans. While the performances in the Premier League could have been much better, Erik ten Hag’s men did win the FA Cup.
Moreover, the final months of the campaign were filled with action-packed, exciting encounters. It will be long before those matches are forgotten, matches in which the win probability football metrics did not favour Man United but in which the Red Devils came on top. And the cherry on the top were the last-minute goals, of course.
Here will be presented the clashes that kept the fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish, regardless of the final result. Not only the good days, but also the bad ones, because a team can only grow if it learns from its mistakes.
Chelsea 4-3 Man United: A Rollercoaster of Emotions
On April 4, the matchday 31 encounter with Chelsea started poorly for the Red Devils who conceded twice in the opening 20 minutes. The football odds offered by betting sites were not in their favour, starting from 3.4 (12/5). Ten Hag’s men did not crumble, though, and the score was already level at half time thanks to the strikes from Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes.
Despite some allowed opportunities, Man United withstood the pressure at the start of the second half, and in the 67th minute, Garnacho got his brace and turned the game on its head. Or at least that is what it seemed like at first…
The last-minute drama could possibly only have been anticipated using special algorithms. Diogo Dalot, who had had a decent performance up until then, gave away a penalty in the 90+10 minute which was converted by Cole Palmer. And in the very next minute, the defenders reacted slowly to a corner taken short. Palmer was found by a comfortable pass in the penalty box, completely unmarked, and his shot went past the defenders and into the back of Andre Onana’s net – three points gone.
Manchester United 4-3 Liverpool: An Unexpected Hero
In a diametrically opposed turn of events, it was the Red Devils who went up early in their FA Cup quarter-final match against Liverpool on March 17, with odds - 3.75 (11/4) - again being quite uncompromising. Scott McTominay took advantage of a lucky rebound and made the scoreboard at Old Trafford turn 1-0 for the hosts.
The joy did not last long, as Liverpool regrouped and struck back. Two goals in quick succession in the final minutes of the first half saw Jurgen Klopp’s team leave for the break with their spirits high.
As the game progressed, coach Ten Hag introduced more attacking players. The risks definitely paid off as Antony sent the game to extra time with a late half-turn strike!
The two teams exchanged goals in extra time again, and it looked like the winner would be decided on penalties when Liverpool was lazily preparing to take a free kick.
What followed was a moment of group and individual brilliance. Winning the ball, the Red Devils launched a quick, vertical counter-attack. Garnacho masterfully carried the ball up to the penalty box where he released Amad Diallo, another late sub, who set the final score of the match with a pinpoint shot to the bottom corner.
Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: A Cup Final Triumph
While not as goal-heavy as the other matches on the list, the Manchester derby in the FA Cup final on May 25 is a match to remember. Despite being perceived as the underdogs (with the odds around 7.4 (32/5), the Red Devils defeated their city rivals 2-1 and lifted their 13th FA Cup title, turning the season from outright disappointing to somewhat respectable.
United scored both of their goals in the first half: Garnacho capitalised on a defensive error, and then Kobe Mainoo doubled the lead after an exquisite assist from captain Bruno Fernandes.
Man City could not get back into the game until late when Jeremy Doku beat Onana from outside the box. With a great collective effort from the outfield players and the goalkeeper, with heroic tackles and organised tactics, Man United defended their lead in the dying minutes and lifted the cup!