Manchester United left it late to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals last night.
Unfortunately, the heavy rotation did not pay off for Erik ten Hag, which is often the price you have to pay to try and give key players a rest and even more so when you’re on the back of playing eight games in four weeks.
The game changed when the manager began integrating several regulars into the mix, namely Casemiro, who makes United look significantly stronger and more put-together from the second he enters the pitch.
West Ham took the lead through Said Benrahma in the 54th minute, with the Reds leaving it until the 77th to register an equaliser through a Nayef Aguerd own-goal.
18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho then netted his fifth goal of the season in the 90th minute to save the tie going to extra time and penalties, before Fred topped it off by securing a third just five minutes later.
It’s these sorts of matches that, last season, United would be losing. One huge difference that supporters have noticed this term is the team’s ability to come from behind and pick up a crucial win.
Ten Hag on United’s resilience
Ten Hag weighed in on this post-match to Sky Sports, saying: “The belief is so strong, the resilience is so strong. They hate losing and they believe they can always win.”
🎙️ "They hate losing and they believe they can always win" 😤
Erik Ten Hag praised his Manchester United side's resilience after last night's comeback victory over West Ham in the FA Cup 💪 pic.twitter.com/LmioT8GYFs
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 2, 2023
