We should have won game against Middlesbrough in normal time, asserts Ralf Rangnick
Ralf Rangnick
|Manchester United’s interim boss Ralf Rangnick has hit out at his side for losing their fourth-round FA Cup tie to Middlesbrough, as he believes they should have won in normal time. The Championship outfit beat the Red Devils 8-7 on penalties with Anthony Elanga missing the decisive kick.
After a beyond impressive and dominant first-half, many believed that Manchester United should have had the tie sealed up against Middlesbrough. But a missed penalty and a host of other chances missed meant that Boro had the chance to net an equaliser in the second half of their fourth-round FA Cup tie against the Red Devils. Then Bruno Fernandes hit the post despite having a clean shot at an open goal and United struggled to create proper chances even in extra-time.
That was mostly thanks to the fact that Chris Wilder’s side held on and defended with their lives, taking the game beyond extra-time and into penalties. However, while luck seemed to favour both teams, teenager Anthony Elanga missed the decisive spot-kick and it saw Ralf Rangnick upset with his side as he believes that they should have won the game in normal time. He also added that the loss is their “own fault” and they need to show more quality going forward.
“In the first half we should have easily been 3-0 up and second half we had chances too. We should have won the game in normal time. On penalties it can happen what happened today. We have to take our chances better and with more quality than we did today,” Rangnick said, reported the Guardian.
“It was our own fault – we should not have gone into extra time and penalties. For example, Bruno chance [near the end] – if he has 10 of these in a match he scores nine. Today he hit the post, tried to place it too exactly – these things can happen, obviously he didn’t do that on purpose.”
