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A lot was written about Erik ten Hag being a “lifeless man strolling” heading into Manchester United’s FA Cup ultimate encounter with Manchester Metropolis at Wembley.
Nonetheless, the Man United supervisor and his Pink Devils wakened in some trend to stun Pep Guardiola’s males, delivering a tactically astute efficiency to beat the favourites 2-1 and take residence the membership’s thirteenth FA Cup trophy.
Aside from his techniques, which have largely been underwhelming over the course of the season, the Dutchman has acquired backlash for his decision-making within the switch market, with nearly all of his signings failing to impress at Outdated Trafford.
Nonetheless, at Wembley, Sofyan Amrabat stepped as much as present simply why Ten Hag was so eager to reunite along with his former FC Utrecht expertise.
The combative midfielder’s physicality and positional consciousness proved key in serving to United preserve compactness in the course of the park and compelled Metropolis’s chief playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to transfer out vast to seek out any respiratory house.
Legendary midfielder Paul Scholes took observe of the Moroccan’s midfield exploits on Saturday afternoon. On his Instagram story, he praised the midfield engine by writing: “Like a major Gattusso [sic] right this moment.”
supply: Instagram
The best way Amrabat coated the bottom and outmuscled Metropolis gamers makes the comparability with AC Milan legend Gennaro Gattuso actually really feel apt.
Nonetheless, whether or not that may be sufficient to persuade the membership’s hierarchy to show his mortgage transfer right into a everlasting switch stays unclear.
United reportedly negotiated a £21.4 million buy choice after they loaned the participant from Fiorentina final summer time. Forward of this summer time, the 27-year-old is attracting loads of curiosity from the Premier League.
Whereas Scholes hailed Amrabat, one other United midfield legend, Roy Keane, praised Bruno Fernandes in his post-match evaluation for ITV Sport.
Keane has been crucial of Fernandes’ management abilities over time, however the former United skipper insisted he was completely happy “to be proved unsuitable” on Saturday.
Akin to Amrabat, the present United captain didn’t cease operating till the ultimate whistle. Extra importantly, he confirmed his artistic genius by discovering Kobbie Mainoo with a cheeky cross in Metropolis’s penalty field. The academy sensation made no mistake from shut vary and doubled his aspect’s lead.
All and all it was an amazing day for United’s midfield!
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