Manchester United have ended Liverpool's quadruple hopes with a remarkable 4-3 extra-time victory to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
Lifelong Red Devils supporter Tyson Fury was in attendance for Sunday's showdown at Old Trafford to watch substitute Amad Diallo land the knockout punch for the hosts with a dramatic 120th-minute winner in an all-time FA Cup classic.
The Red Devils made a strong start to proceedings in normal time and Scott McTominay opened the scoring with a close-range finish inside the first 10 minutes, but two quickfire strikes from Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah turned the contest on its head for the visitors on the stroke of half time.
Liverpool were on top after the break, but they could not take advantage of their second-half dominance, and that proved costly as Antony came off the substitutes' bench to net an 87th-minute equaliser, ending his 24-match goal drought at Old Trafford to force the enthralling contest into an additional 30 minutes.
Jurgen Klopp's men were back in front at the interval in extra time thanks to a deflected strike from Harvey Elliott, but Erik ten Hag's spirited side came from behind to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, with Marcus Rashford's composed equaliser followed by Diallo's majestic match-winner on the counter-attack, setting up a semi-final clash with Coventry City at Wembley next month.
Klopp made three changes to the Liverpool side that thrashed Sparta Prague 6-1 in the Europa League on Thursday, with Mac Allister, Virgil van Dijk and Luis Diaz all returning, while Salah was handed his second successive start having only just recovered from injury.
The headline team news from Man United's perspective was the return of both Rasmus Hojlund and Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the starting lineup after spells out with injury, while Mason Mount and Harry Maguire were fit to make the bench, although Casemiro missed out and is the latest name to enter the Red Devils treatment room.
It was the hosts that began in the ascendancy and Wan-Bissaka, who was somewhat surprisingly deployed as a left-back, found himself receiving the ball inside Liverpool's penalty area within the first two minutes, but his effort on the stretch was comfortably saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.
Liverpool's goalkeeper was called into action again moments later and made a smart diving save to keep out a bending strike from Rashford on the edge of the box.
The Merseysiders responded with a couple of chances of their own at the other end; Dominik Szoboszlai was the first to let fly from range, but Andre Onana was equal to it before Salah directed a superb first-time volley from a tight angle inches wide of the far post.
United remained on top, though, and their breathless start was rewarded with the opening goal in the 10th minute. Alejandro Garnacho was slipped in on the left channel and opened his body up to curl a strike at Kelleher, but his save floated straight into the path of McTominay to prod the ball home on the line.
McTominay's fourth career FA Cup goal was also his ninth of the season in all competitions, with five of those netted at Old Trafford – only in 2020-21 (six) has the Scotsman scored more on home soil in a single campaign.
The majority of Man United's attacks came down their left flank through Rashford, while Garnacho cut a frustrated figure on the right. McTominay looked threatening when driving at Liverpool's backline on the counter-attack, but played the wrong pass on two occasions to the disappointment of both Hojlund and Rashford.
Red Devils starlet Kobbie Mainoo was a livewire in midfield throughout the first half, and he danced his way through several Liverpool defenders, linking up with Rashford to set up a golden chance for McTominay to double the hosts' advantage just after the half-hour mark, but Kelleher was equal to the Scotsman's first-time shot from a central position.
The game soon became stretched and as Liverpool were beginning to grow into the contest, they thought they had restored parity in the 36th minute when Wataru Endo coolly stroked a finish into the bottom corner, but the visitors' celebrations were halted as Salah was caught just offside in the build-up.
Liverpool's frowns were soon turned upside down, though, as they scored twice within the space of four minutes on the stroke of half time to put themselves in front at the break, stunning Man United in the process.
A week after scoring an equaliser against Manchester City in the Premier League last weekend, Mac Allister was at it again for the Merseysiders, as his deflected shot crept in at Onana's near post following a brilliant driving run from Jarell Quansah into the box and a cushioned assist from Darwin Nunez to set up the Argentine.
Nunez was also involved in Liverpool's second goal as his cutback from the left and strike at goal was superbly saved by Onana's left hand, but the ball felt kindly to Salah, who had time to take a touch before smacking a right-footed shot in off the post.
Salah has become the first-ever player to score in five consecutive away matches against Man United, with his latest strike the 13th in his last 14 appearances versus the Red Devils across all competitions – no player has scored more goals against a current Premier League team since the Egyptian joined Liverpool in 2017.
Both sides made an energetic start to the second half, but it was Liverpool who created the better chances; Nunez tried to squeeze the ball past Onana at the near post but the Cameroonian shot-stopper got down well to make the save.
A deflected cross from McTominay then sailed past Hojlund inside the six-yard box, before Nunez burst down the other end and poked a venomous effort wide of the far post.
Man United's midfield gave Szoboszlai acres of space to set himself up for a strike from distance, which was clawed away well by Onana, shortly before Mac Allister whipped a central free kick from the edge of the area just over the crossbar.
Liverpool looked in the mood to grab a third goal heading into the final half-hour, enjoying at least two-thirds of the possession and winning most of the second balls in midfield against an out-of-sorts Man United outfit, much to the frustration of the Old Trafford faithful.
Klopp rang the changes for the final 20 minutes, with Szoboszlai, Salah and Robertson all replaced by Elliott, Cody Gakpo and Conor Bradley respectively; all three replacements were quickly involved in a promising five-on-two counter-attack for Liverpool, but the chance went begging and both Mainoo and Diogo Dalot held their ground to deal with the danger.
Ten Hag also turned to the bench for a much-needed spark, with both Antony and Maguire brought on for Hojlund and Wan-Bissaka, and it was the former who made his presence felt with a timely equaliser for the hosts just three minutes before stoppage time.
Following a neat one-two with Garnacho, Antony produced a smart turn inside the area before fizzing a low strike with his weaker right foot into the bottom corner – just his second goal for Man United on his 30th appearance in all competitions this season.
The Red Devils were given a new lease of life after Antony's equaliser, although they momentarily had their hearts in their mouths when Elliott flicked a curling cross with the outside of the boot off the post.
With just seconds remaining of normal time, Rashford was played clean through on goal by substitute Christian Eriksen, but after taking a nice touch to set up his shot, the Englishman could only roll his effort agonisingly wide of the far post.
Antony, Rashford and Victor Lindelof all had decent opportunities to make the net ripple as Man United made the stronger start in extra time, but it was Elliott who took advantage of the hosts' unbalanced defensive shape to put Liverpool back in front on the 105-minute mark.
The playmaker picked up the ball from around 25 yards out and unleashed a ferocious shot that took a wild deflection of the base of Eriksen's foot as it flew past Onana into the bottom corner.
Man United began the second half of extra time with only two natural defenders – Maguire and Dalot – as Lindelof made way for midfielder Mount, who made his first appearance since November following a troublesome time out through injury.
The Red Devils continued to push forward, though, and Maguire – at times – acted as an emergency centre-forward, but it was Rashford playing down the middle who netted a crucial leveller for the hosts five minutes after the break, capitalising on Liverpool giving the ball away in their own half before slotting a composed finish into the bottom-right corner.
Diallo then came up with the goods in the dying embers to prevent penalties as he burst forward on the counter-attack with Garnacho and received the ball from his Argentine teammate before arrowing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, sending Old Trafford into pandemonium and Liverpool packing from the FA Cup.
The Ivorian winger was shown a second yellow card for taking his shirt off in celebration, but Man United had no problems holding on for a memorable victory against their arch enemy.
Liverpool will look to return to winning ways when they resume their Premier League title charge at home to Brighton & Hove Albion after the international break on March 31, while Man United are next in action a day earlier away against Brentford. body check tags ::
