Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed his frustration after his team's FA Cup exit at Old Trafford, claiming they were beaten not in "Fergie time" but in "offside time" following Harry Maguire's controversial stoppage-time winner in Manchester United's 2-1 victory on Friday.
The former Manchester United striker, well-acquainted with the concept of "Fergie time" - late goals scored during Sir Alex Ferguson's era - was left dismayed when Maguire headed home what appeared to be an offside goal in the third minute of injury time. The decisive moment came from Bruno Fernandes's free-kick, with replays suggesting Maguire was in an offside position when the ball was delivered.
The absence of VAR technology, which is not implemented until the FA Cup fifth round, proved crucial in the match's outcome. The FA had previously announced in mid-December that VAR would only be used at Wembley Stadium and Premier League grounds due to infrastructure, workforce, and cost requirements, aiming to ensure consistent refereeing across all competition stages.
"We are gutted," Van Nistelrooy told the media. "When you prepare for the whole week for this game and reacting after the Everton loss and put in a performance like that but it is decided on a clear and obvious mistake, that is unacceptable and unthinkable at this level."
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim acknowledged his team's fortune, stating, "With VAR it's not a goal. I think it's important to have VAR because it's fair for the game. It's hard to lose like that with an offside play. But we deserve a little bit of luck."
Former United midfielder Roy Keane, speaking on ITV, criticized the officials: "That's a poor decision, the linesman has got to see that. You have got to get those big decisions right." Ian Wright added his voice to the criticism, highlighting the impact such decisions can have on a manager's career.
The match itself saw United struggle in the first half, failing to register a shot on target as they fell behind to Bobby De Cordova-Reid's opener. The introduction of Alejandro Garnacho at half-time proved pivotal, with the young winger's pace causing problems and contributing to Joshua Zirkzee's equalizer before Maguire's controversial winner.
United's January signing Patrick Dorgu made his debut at right-wing back but was substituted at half-time after receiving extensive instructions from Amorim. The Portuguese coach defended his tactical decision, explaining that Dorgu's left foot on the right side could offer different attacking options, despite the player having only three training sessions with the team.
Van Nistelrooy concluded by emphasizing the clear nature of the officiating error: "It is not a matter of VAR where you look at millimetres, it was half a metre, it was clear." The defeat leaves Leicester to focus on their league campaign, while Manchester United advance to the FA Cup fifth round, albeit under controversial circumstances.
