LIVE: Coventry City vs Manchester United – FA Cup semifinal as Man Utd demolishing Coventry City – Watch Match here
By Manasi Pathak
Published On 21 Apr 2024
21 Apr 2024
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Coventry City face Manchester United in the second semifinal of the 2023/24 English Football Association’s Challenge Cup (FA Cup) at London’s Wembley Stadium. The match at will kick off at 3:30pm local time (14:30 GMT).
Championship side Coventry won their single FA Cup title in 1987, while United are 12-time champions.
The winner will face holders Manchester City, who edged out Chelsea to win the first semifinal on Saturday.
The final will be played at Wembley on May 25.
Live updates
Match stats
Lineups
11m ago (13:40 GMT)
Coventry City make 2 changes
Coventry City have made two changes from the side that lost 3-0 at Birmingham City last weekend, with Callum O’Hare and Josh Eccles replacing Victor Torp and Kasey Palmer, who is suspended after picking up two FA Cup yellow cards.
Coventry are eighth in the second-tier Championship’s standings.
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11m ago (13:39 GMT)
Fans arrive at Wembley
Coventry City and Manchester United fans walk down Olympic Way before the match
Coventry City and Manchester United fans walk down Olympic Way before the match [Toby Melville/Reuters]
A Manchester United fan shows off a shirt of manager Erik ten Hag [Toby Melville/Reuters]
Coventry City fans pose outside the stadium [Toby Melville/Reuters]
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14m ago (13:37 GMT)
McTominay returns as United make one change
United make one change from their 2-2 draw with Bournemouth as defensive midfielder McTominay has returned to the team after missing the last two matches through injury. He replaces Willy Kambwala, who is absent from the squad.
It remains to be seen who will partner centre-back Maguire, who has been passed fit to start, in defence. Diogo Dalot is set to make his 150th appearance for United.
On the bench, the team has the fit-again Antony as well as academy players Harry Amass, Louis Jackson, Habeeb Ogunneye and Ethan Wheatley.
Manchester United’s Scott McTominay missed the last two games due to an injury [Dave Thompson/AP Photo]
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18m ago (13:33 GMT)
Coventry City’s lineup
Coventry City: Bradley Collins, Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, Jake Bidwell, Josh Eccles, Ben Sheaf, Callum O’Hare, Milan van Ewijk, Ellis Simms, Haji Wright
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19m ago (13:31 GMT)
Manchester United’s lineup
Manchester United: Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund
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21m ago (13:30 GMT)
EFL representatives accepted scrapping FA Cup replays, FA says
English Football League (EFL) representatives agreed in meetings that FA Cup replays should be scrapped from next season, the English FA said on Friday in the face of criticism from several lower-league clubs for ditching the revenue-generating matches.
English football governing body announced the move on Thursday as part of a six-year agreement with the top-flight Premier League to strengthen the domestic Cup competition.
“We have been discussing the calendar for the 2024-25 season with the Premier League and EFL for well over a year,” the FA said in a statement. “Removing Emirates FA Cup replays was discussed in the early meetings and all parties accepted that they could not continue.”
The statement comes in the wake of multiple lower-league clubs criticising the move, which denies smaller clubs drawn at home to top-tier opposition the chance to earn revenue through money-spinning replays away.
“It does kick everyone in the teeth below (the top flight). There’s nothing we can do about it, apart from voice our concerns,” Coventry boss Robins said.
United manager ten Hag called the change “very sad for the British football culture,” before adding that it was inevitable.
“It’s due to the overload in the schedule and that’s dictated by FIFA and UEFA,” he said.
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25m ago (13:25 GMT)
Head-to-head
Manchester United have dominated this fixture over the years.
The teams have faced each other 83 times in competitive football with United winning 43 times, Coventry winning 23 times, and 17 matches ending in a draw.
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30m ago (13:20 GMT)
Man United appoints Wilcox as technical director
United has started planning for next season, announcing on Friday that Jason Wilcox has left second-division Southampton to become the new technical director at Old Trafford.
Wilcox, 53, joined Southampton last year as their director of football, making the switch from Manchester City, where he developed a reputation for nurturing young talent as well as recruiting some of the best prospects.
“Jason Wilcox has joined Manchester United as technical director with immediate effect,” said a United statement.
“He will work with all technical areas of the football department to achieve the highest standards of performance.”
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Wilcox as our new Technical Director.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 19, 2024
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36m ago (13:15 GMT)
Coventry seek to revive spirit of 1987
The Midlands club won the FA Cup for the only time in their history that year, upsetting Tottenham Hotspur in a thrilling final. But the intervening years have been a struggle, and six years ago, they were playing in the fourth-tier League Two.
However, under the shrewd management of Mark Robins, the Sky Blues are moving in the right direction again, and last season, they were one game away from returning to the Premier League, having lost their place among the elite in 2001.
Coventry have reached the FA Cup semifinals only twice in their history, and their most recent visit to Wembley left a bitter taste as they lost to Luton Town in last year’s playoff final.
Coventry will be backed by 36,000 fans at Wembley and one thing for sure is they will match the volume of United’s fans.
“They’re like having an extra man when they’re cheering and chanting, and they get right behind us and give us that extra bit of energy,” striker Ellis Simms, who has scored five goals during the championship, said.
“We thrive off the fans and the more there are, the better it is.”
It feels like home. pic.twitter.com/iiFlHWHdeO
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) April 21, 2024
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41m ago (13:10 GMT)
United boss backs misfiring midfielder Casemiro
Ten Hag will need an improved performance from United midfielder Casemiro, who has received criticism for his recent display.
Former Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp said Casemiro’s lethargic effort against Bournemouth last week was like he was playing in a charity match.
But ten Hag backed the Brazilian’s value to United, saying: “I think we needed the six [position] when I arrived here and last season Casemiro was fantastic.
“This season he struggled with a bad injury he never had in his career, but he is such a winner. Always in his career he has won, everywhere he was there will be success.
“He is a fighter, why he also won big trophies, he’s a personality and he’s a very important player and he will give us success.”
Casemiro remonstrates with referee Robert Jones earlier this season [File: Carl Recine/Reuters]
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46m ago (13:05 GMT)
Robins hopes Wembley experience can help pull off upset
Coventry, who won the FA Cup for the only time in 1987, reached the semifinals with a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolves thanks to stoppage-time strikes from Ellis Simms and Haji Wright.
Robins’s side, currently eighth in the second tier, were beaten by Luton in last season’s championship playoff final and he hopes that experience of Wembley will help his players pull off an upset.
“We’ve already given the fans a special occasion getting there. Being in the national stadium with Manchester United, it doesn’t get much bigger than that,” he said.
“It’s a brilliant opportunity for everyone and there’s a lot of excitement around the city. There is a global reach there for Coventry City, the world will be tuning in and it’s a great occasion for all of our players.”
An @EmiratesFACup journey we will never forget.
Tomorrow we leave it all out on the pitch. ✊ pic.twitter.com/wTMnjfyxHU
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) April 20, 2024
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51m ago (13:00 GMT)
Ten Hag says Garnacho apologised after liking critical tweets
United’s Argentinian attacker Alejandro Garnacho “liked” a pair of messages on X that slammed ten Hag’s decision to substitute him at half-time of last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth.
The 19-year-old quickly unliked both posts and has now said sorry to ten Hag, who said Garnacho would remain involved in United’s FA Cup semifinal against Coventry.
Questioned on whether the Garnacho incident was evidence of player unrest with ten Hag, the under-fire Dutchman said: “I wouldn’t point to that.
“Alejandro is a young player, has to learn a lot. He apologised for it and after that we move on.”
Garnacho, left, and ten Hag in happier times, following United’s quarterfinal win over Liverpool [Molly Darlington/Reuters]
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52m ago (12:58 GMT)
We can all see and hear you, and we’re desperate to make you proud. ✊pic.twitter.com/BjzsFMfh2Y
— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) April 21, 2024
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1h ago (12:50 GMT)
Troubled Man Utd still world’s ‘biggest club’, says Coventry boss
United manager Erik ten Hag is battling to hold onto his job after a difficult second season for the Dutchman.
His side are almost certain to miss out on a place in next season’s Champions League and United, who last won the Premier League in Alex Ferguson’s final season in charge in 2013, are winless in four league games since reaching the semifinals with a victory over Liverpool.
But Robins believes his old club’s problems have been overstated.
“People, pundits, are talking in a derisory way about Manchester United and what they’re doing, how they’re performing,” Robins told reporters on Friday.
“For people who are talking about Manchester United are this or that, or they concede lots of shots: you’re talking about a team that is full of talented players, top international players.
“We know they are clearly favourites to win this game, by a million miles, simple as that.
“They can hurt anybody on their day. [In] the game against Liverpool, their goals were outstanding. So you’ve got a lot of things to consider, especially as a championship club going up against the biggest club in the world.”
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1h ago (12:40 GMT)
Early team news
Coventry City will be without midfielder Kasey Palmer, suspended after picking up a booking for encroaching on the pitch to celebrate the late triumph over Wolves.
“In the moment it’s the reaction we all made, you don’t necessarily think too much about it,” Robins said. “It was really poor but the rules are the rules and you’ve got to abide by them. Unfortunately for him and for us, we can’t use him.”
For United, ten Hag expects to have Antony and Scott McTominay back from injury on Sunday and is hopeful about defender Harry Maguire.
“We have some problems. Harry had a small injury so he hasn’t trained so far this week, but now he is back on the pitch,” the manager said. “We expect him back in team training today. He will be available for Sunday, I hope.”
Meanwhile, Mason Mount joins an injury list that also includes Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
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1h ago (12:30 GMT)
United wary of ‘dangerous’ Coventry, ten Hag says
Coventry are bidding to become the first second-tier club to reach the final since Cardiff in 2008.
Robins has done a remarkable job since returning for a second stint in 2017, taking the club from the fourth tier to the brink of the Premier League last season – they lost to Luton on penalties in the championship playoff final.
That success has come against the background of a tumultuous spell at the club, who were effectively homeless for many years, sharing facilities with Birmingham City as recently as 2021.
They have already beaten Premier League side Wolves on the road to Wembley, and Erik ten Hag pointed out that they could easily be a top-flight side themselves.
“We know the manager, a former United player, striker, his long period there, he’s doing a fantastic job there,” he said. “So, we know a lot about them.
“Of course they are dangerous, they are in the semifinal. It’s logical. Last season, they were that far away [a small margin] from being promoted to the Premier League. So they do a fantastic job over there.
“We have seen the game against Wolves, in the quarterfinal, the mentality in the team is fabulous, so we have to play to our best levels.”
United present 🤝 United past
Erik appreciates Mark Robins’ impact as a player and a manager 🔴🔵#MUFC || #FACup
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) April 21, 2024
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1h ago (12:20 GMT)
Coventry’s Robins plots downfall of ex-club
Mark Robins scored the goal that helped launch Manchester United’s era of dominance. Now he is plotting to deepen their misery in the FA Cup semifinal on Sunday as Coventry boss.
The 54-year-old scored against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the competition in 1990, a goal that turned out to be a turning point in the history of United and was widely credited with saving Alex Ferguson’s job.
Robins also scored the winner in the semifinal against Oldham and United went on to lift the cup, the first of a cascade of trophies under Ferguson, who oversaw their last Premier League title win in 2013.
“We will never know how close I was to being sacked,” Ferguson wrote in his autobiography. Robins is mentioned on the very first page.
The former forward, who came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, played just 61 times for United but he has a special place in the hearts of the club’s fans.
Now the Coventry manager could pile more pressure on ten Hag with a famous upset at Wembley.
“I have got no agenda other than trying to prepare the team as best we can to go and put a performance on that we can be proud of,” Robins said Friday. “For me it is nothing other than that, it is not about me for sure.”
Robins celebrates after the quarterfinal win [Andrew Boyers/Action Images via Reuters]
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1h ago (12:10 GMT)
Elsewhere in English football
While City managed to keep alive their hopes for a domestic double, Arsenal moved ahead of them in the Premier League table on Saturday by beating Wolves 2-0 and topping the table.
The Gunners are now on 74 points, one ahead of City but the defending champions have a game in hand.
Three points for @Arsenal, and they return to the top of the Premier League table!#WOLARS pic.twitter.com/xyX1v5Rzsm
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 20, 2024
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1h ago (12:00 GMT)
Silva’s redemption
The Portuguese playmaker scored in the 84th minute to send City through and make up for his missed penalty in the Champions League quarterfinal loss against Real Madrid earlier in the week.
“[I’m] very happy after a very frustrating week for all of us, for me personally,” Bernardo said after the game.
“The good thing is in football at Man City, you play every three days. Every three days you have the chance to put things right and now we have a chance to win another trophy.”
pic.twitter.com/nzlczrxPV7
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 20, 2024
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2h ago (11:50 GMT)
Guardiola unhappy with relentless schedule
City manager Pep Guardiola was thrilled with his side’s win but was unhappy that his side had to play a tournament knockout game less than three days after their Champions League game against Real Madrid was stretched to penalties.
While Guardiola celebrated joyously, fist-pumping to the crowd and embracing each of his players, he voiced his anger over the decision to make his team play on Saturday. He said the semifinal should have been moved back 24 hours due to City’s Champions League commitments.
“I don’t understand how we survived today. It’s unacceptable to play today. Today is one of the greatest things I have seen from my players,” Guardiola said.
“I just want to protect my players. It’s unacceptable, it’s common sense. I’m not asking for something special or privilege.”
Guardiola, left, and Stefan Ortega celebrate their FA Cup semifinal win [Paul Childs/Reuters]
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2h ago (11:40 GMT)
Recap: Manchester City beat Chelsea in first semifinal
Manchester City edged out Chelsea in the first semifinal via a late goal from Bernardo Silva.
The holders wasted no time in overcoming the pain of their Champions League exit at the hands of Real Madrid, keeping alive their hopes for at least two domestic titles.
Meanwhile, Chelsea were left to rue a string of missed opportunities as they lost yet another cup match at Wembley this year, following their EFL Cup final defeat at the hands of Liverpool last month.
The stats behind @ManCity’s #EmiratesFACup semi-final victory which booked their place in a second consecutive cup Final 🔢
Presented by @carling pic.twitter.com/IuIDqZ6Qe9
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 20, 2024
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2h ago (11:30 GMT)
Welcome to our live coverage of the FA Cup semifinal!
Hello and welcome to Al Jazeera’s live coverage of the FA Cup’s second semifinal!
Championship side Coventry City meet Premier League giants Manchester United at Wembley Stadium for a chance to play holders Manchester City in next month’s final.
Kickoff in the English capital is at 3:30pm (14:30 GMT).
I’m Manasi Pathak and I’ll be bringing you all the build-up, team news and commentary, so stay with Al Jazeera and you won’t miss any of the action from this massive game in English football!
Wembley awaits 🏟️…@Coventry_City 🆚 @ManUtd #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/aCb6s1tMcI
— Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 21, 2024
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SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES
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