'There is life in Ten Hag yet as Man Utd manager'

The outcome of the FA Cup quarter-final game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford was not the only factor that would determine Erik ten Hag's future as the manager of United. However, even the usually reserved Dutchman must have been aware of the significant stakes involved in this match.

If the team lost, it would have strengthened the belief that Ten Hag is not suitable to lead United in the restructured football system being created by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Perhaps a victory could be sufficient to convince the authorities within the hierarchy of Old Trafford that Ten Hag is the ideal candidate for the job.

What an amazing triumph it was when Manchester United claimed victory in a thrilling game filled with all the things that Old Trafford fans adore. The team secured a 4-3 win in the last moments of extra time as they played in front of the Stretford End. It was reminiscent of past glories.

Ten Hag's tenure at Old Trafford may have just secured a long-term future after achieving the most impressive result of his career with United. It was a magnificent achievement that cannot be overlooked.

Had United lost, there would have been a lot of criticism directed towards them. However, Old Trafford was filled with the sound of joy as the fans celebrated their victory, making it one of the most memorable moments at "Theatre of Dreams" in recent years.

We will have to wait and see if this victory will completely change things for Ten Hag. However, winning such an important game will definitely benefit him as Ratcliffe plans United's future path.

Ten Hag's forerunners are acquainted with the consequences of being defeated by Liverpool. Jose Mourinho got the boot after losing at Anfield in December 2018, whereas Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was shown the door in November 2021, merely a month after suffering a 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Just a few weeks back, Ratcliffe made a statement in the style of Sir Alex Ferguson, declaring his ultimate goal to dethrone Liverpool and Manchester City. This was exactly the kind of strong-willed sentiment United supporters were hoping for, as they are overshadowed by the dominance of these two footballing behemoths.

In truth, this incredible victory - in a cup match that will always be remembered as a masterpiece - doesn't even budge the top spot. However, the fans at Old Trafford have been yearning for moments like the ones that happened when Amad Diallo scored the winning goal against Liverpool's goalkeeper Caomhin Kelleher in the final moments, sending the Stretford End into a frenzy.

The team has arranged a visit to Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final match, where Manchester United is expected to win against Coventry City, a team from the Championship. This opportunity allows Ten Hag to potentially win a trophy, proving his confidence that despite the challenges faced throughout the season, he has made progress towards success.

On this particular day, Manchester United recaptured the essence of their past victories. They effectively addressed all of the criticisms thrown at Ten Hag and his team throughout the season, if only for the duration of their 120-minute game.

Some people were really hard on United when they played defensively and got a tie at Anfield at the start of the season. I think it was not fair to blame them, since they had to do what they had to do. Even though defensive strategy is not the way they usually play, they had no other option.

In this instance, they initiated an offensive maneuver and managed to score first with Scott McTominay. However, their widely-known weaknesses resurfaced as Alexis Mac Allister and Mohamed Salah both scored within two minutes just before half-time, resulting in Liverpool taking the lead.

Some people have said that United don't have the ability to overcome challenges this season, but they proved them wrong by holding on until Antony scored the equalizer in the 87th minute. They showed their resilience once again when Marcus Rashford missed a shot that could have been the game-winner in the final seconds of regular time.

Liverpool regained their advantage in extra time with a goal by Harvey Elliott. However, Manchester United did not give up hope and Rashford redeemed himself by scoring to level the score at 3-3. The match ended in a thrilling and spectacular manner, befitting of the excitement that preceded it.

In the final moments of the game, Liverpool was awarded a corner which was successfully defended by their opponents. Diallo managed to snatch the ball away from Elliott, who was located in his own half. He then proceeded to sprint across the whole field after receiving a pass from Alejandro Garnacho. The Stretford End was sent into a frenzy as Diallo successfully struck the ball into the goal off of the far post.

Ten Hag was asked about his reputation for being conservative during the game. In response, he brought on attackers Antony and Diallo to try to win the game. Manchester United has never been a team to simply sit back and let their opponents dominate, even during times when Liverpool has been in control.

During the frenzied and remarkable match conclusion, Ten Hag adopted an offensive strategy. His team had a mere two defenders, namely Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire, taking the field. Interestingly, Bruno Fernandes was spotted temporarily assuming the role of central defender, and Diallo appeared to have been instructed to perform in any position.

The manager of United displayed courage and luck was on his side during his best day in charge.

For a brief moment, they escaped the dark shadow that Liverpool has cast over them in the past few years. This includes their devastating 5-0 defeat under Solskjaer, a harsh 4-0 loss under Ralf Rangnick, and Ten Hag's unfortunate record of enduring a humiliating 7-0 defeat at Anfield last season.

While it was only one game, its significance cannot be diminished. If Ten Hag aimed to demonstrate to Ratcliffe and his squad that he could replicate the memorable events at Old Trafford from the past, this impressive victory was exactly what he needed.

Erik ten Hag still has a chance to become the manager of Manchester United.