United 2-1 Spurs - FA Cup semi-final report from Wembley

We suffered more FA Cup semi-final heartache at Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon after Manchester United came from a goal down to inflict a 2-1 defeat.

Despite making the perfect start through Dele Alli, Jose Mourinho’s side hit back through Alexis Sanchez before Ander Herrera fired home what proved to be the winner in the second half. It was our eighth successive defeat in the last four of the famous old competition.

We went ahead with just 10 minutes on the clock thanks to a wonderfully-worked goal. Davinson Sanchez’s long searching pass down the right found Christian Eriksen running in behind the United back line, the Dane sending over the perfect cross for Dele to touch home on the stretch at the back post.

But United were level 14 minutes later when Alexis headed Paul Pogba’s centre back across goal, beating Michel Vorm with his effort.

A lively and frenetic first half also saw Vorm deny Pogba with a flying save and Eric Dier’s long-ranger deflect off Chris Smalling before striking David De Gea’s post.

United took the lead in the 62nd minute when Herrera’s right-foot shot from 15 yards flew past Vorm and from then on it became a real war of attrition, with United content to stifle the life out of the game as we looked for an equaliser.

We saw plenty of the ball but just couldn’t find a way through the massed ranks of the Old Trafford side and at the final whistle, there was a familiar feeling of disappointment among the Spurs faithful.

Team News

Mauricio Pochettino made six changes to the team that started against Brighton in midweek. Vorm continued his run of starting every FA Cup game for us this season in goal, Kieran Trippier and Sanchez came in for Serge Aurier and Toby Alderweireld in defence, Dier and Mousa Dembele lined up in midfield in place of Victor Wanyama and Moussa Sissoko, while Dele returned for Lucas Moura.

Key Action

GOAL: SPURS 1-0 UNITED – DELE – 10mins
Quite like the league fixture between the teams at the same venue, we were quickly on the front foot and, while we didn’t get a first-minute opener on this occasion, we were ahead after 10 minutes. We did force a couple of very early corners which were cleared and United had a number of forays forward before we took the lead thanks to two quite magnificent passes. First, Sanchez sent a 50-yard ball all the way down the right flank for Eriksen, who’d lost his marker Ashley Young and then delivered the most enticing centre for Dele to poke home on the stretch at the far post.

GOAL: SPURS 1-1 UNITED – ALEXIS SANCHEZ – 24mins
It was a goal which gave even more excitement to a game already bubbling away with energy. Vorm had to be out quickly to smother from Sanchez, Harry Kane almost reached Heung-Min Son’s curling deep cross and Eriksen dragged a shot wide after more great build-up play before the Red Devils levelled it up. Dembele lost possession to Pogba on the right touchline 30 yards from goal, the French midfielder clipping over a cross which Sanchez headed back across goal, wrong-footing Vorm and finding the far corner.

Above: Kieran Trippier takes on Alexis Sanchez.

SAVE: FLYING VORM TIPS AWAY POGBA EFFORT – 44mins
United were in the ascendancy after their goal although they didn’t seriously threaten and we worked our way back into the game, again though without really creating any clear chances. But there was a flurry of opportunities in the closing minutes of the half, starting with Pogba’s curling effort which needed Vorm’s fingertips at full stretch to prod it around the post.

WOODWORK: DIER SO CLOSE - 45+2mins
At the other end, Dier took aim from 30 yards, his drive flicking off Chris Smalling and hitting the base of the post with De Gea rooted to the spot, before Dele latched on to Dier’s pass forwards and attempted to lob United’s keeper from a very acute angle, the ball nestling on the roof of the net.

GOAL: SPURS 1-2 UNITED – ANDER HERRERA – 62mins
There was far less intensity to the game in the opening minutes after the interval and while we were enjoying the majority of possession in United’s half, we weren’t really able to cut them open at the back. There was a chance when Eriksen found Kane with a fine pass in to his feet on the edge of the area, the striker looking like he’d got the better of Smalling, only for the United defender to block his shot. Instead it was United with the next goal – Alexis' pass across the top of the area touched by Lukaku to Lingard and on to Herrera, who hit a first-time right foot shot past Vorm.

LATE POSSESSION BUT NO WAY THROUGH - 80-90mins
The pattern of the game was set for the final half-hour, as we controlled the possession while United dropped back and invited us to break them down, hitting us on the counter where possible. Vorm made a smart save to deny Pogba on one such attack, but at the other end De Gea was untroubled apart from a couple of Eriksen shots which he dealt with comfortably. Lucas and then Erik Lamela were introduced to add to our attacking options, Ben Davies and Son making way, but we failed to create any real opportunities. A frustrating afternoon indeed.

Mauricio Pochettino said

"We competed really well, started really well and 1-1 at half-time was completely unfair. We created more and played better. The second half was even and we conceded and when you face this type of team, with the quality they have, it's always on the limit, everything is difficult. I'm happy with the effort and the performance - nothing more to say, nothing to regret, we're so close and we need to keep pushing."

Dele saif

"We're all disappointed.Tactically, we were dominant, it was going well, we were dominating play and we lost 2-1. At 1-0 up with our fans how they were, we can't let that happen. As soon as they took the lead it was so difficult to break them down."

Match Data

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Vorm, Trippier, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Davies (Moura 68), Dier, Dembele (Wanyama 78), Eriksen, Dele, Son (Lamela 86), Kane (c). Substitutes (not used): Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sissoko.

United (4-3-3): De Gea, Valencia (c, Darmian 80), Jones, Smalling, Young, Matic, Herrera, Pogba, Lingard (Rashford 83), Lukaku, Alexis (Fellaini 90+6). Substitutes (not used): Pereira, Lindelof, Mata, Martial.

Goals: United – Sanchez 24, Herrera 62; Spurs – Dele 10.

Yellow cards: United – Valencia, Young, Rashford, Herrera; Spurs – Son, Dele, Dier.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

Attendance: 84,667.

Up Next

We’re back in Premier League action next, as we welcome Watford to Wembley Stadium on Monday 30 April. The Hornets, who drew 0-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon, currently sit 12th in the table and have suffered a league high of away defeats in the division this season, losing 11 matches (along with Huddersfield Town and West Brom). Kick-off next Monday evening is at 8pm.