Manchester United’s FA Cup journey so far has been magical, which is entirely down to their dramatic victory over Liverpool in the quarter-final.
Erik ten Hag’s side sent Old Trafford into chaos on the 17th of March as they beat their arch-rivals 4-3 in extra time.
Ask any United fan, and that will undoubtedly be their highlight of the drab season so far, and many believe they will already have a foot in the final, with Coventry City the semi-final opponent.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at which FA Cup hero must start at Wembley this afternoon, even over Alejandro Garnacho.
Why Alejandro Garnacho must drop out of the side
There’s no two ways about it: Garnacho has been absolutely fantastic this season, and to think he’s just 19 years old is mind-blowing.
In the Premier League, the Argentine has scored seven goals and provided three assists, but his 30-game streak in the starting lineup could come to an end today.
Unfortunately, last weekend against Bournemouth, the number 17 arguably had his worst performance in a United shirt to date, with the Manchester Evening News handing him a 3/10 rating.
Garnacho was unfortunately at fault for the Cherries opener after taking a heavy touch in the middle of the park, and at half-time he was substituted for his potential replacement today.
Amad Diallo should start vs Coventry
This season, Amad Diallo was supposed to feature rather heavily for the Red Devils after his impressive 13-goal Championship campaign for Sunderland last season.
However, an injury in pre-season kept him out until the end of December, missing a huge 27 games in the process after evading any setbacks last season.
This means that the Ivorian winger has only played five games across all competitions this campaign, with all of those appearances coming from the bench.
Yet, he’s certainly had an impact on the side, scoring the winning goal against Jurgen Klopp’s side in the 120th minute with a wonderfully composed finish into the bottom corner.
Minutes
37
Goals
1
Touches
19
Successful dribbles
1/2
Pass accuracy
100%
Tackles
3
Duels won
6
That said, even without the goal, Diallo was absolutely fantastic off the bench, adding intensity to the side from both an in-possession and out-of-possession perspective.
The former Atalanta wonderkid displayed his confidence and understanding of the game instantly, having a 100% pass accuracy, completing one of his two dribbles, and taking 19 touches.
But it was his desire to make a difference that was admirable, often tracking back to stop counterattacks and putting his body on the line for his team, as shown by his tackles and duels won.
This will be vital against Coventry on Sunday, as, in theory, the only way the Championship side gets any joy is on the break, which is when United have struggled anyway this season.
Overall, the star with a “magical left foot,” as per football scout Jacek Kulig, may have just earned his right to start the game today, and he would most definitely relish any opportunity to shine.
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