February 7th 2025.
In the intense FA Cup fourth round match between Manchester United and Leicester City, all eyes were on Harry Maguire as he became the hero of the night. It was a nail-biting game that kept the fans on the edge of their seats, with United struggling to keep up in the first half. However, in the second half, substitute Alejandro Garnacho brought some much-needed energy to the team.
With the game tied at 1-1 and heading towards extra time, it seemed like anyone's game. But it was Maguire who rose to the occasion, quite literally, as he met Bruno Fernandes' free kick with a perfect header in the dying moments of the game. The crowd erupted in cheers as the ball hit the back of the net, but there was a moment of hesitation as Maguire appeared to be offside when he made contact with the ball.
The linesman did not raise his flag, which was a relief for United as there was no VAR system in place for this particular match. It was announced by the FA last year that VAR would only be used from the fifth round onwards in the FA Cup, and this decision proved to be a controversial one. Many felt that if VAR had been in play, Maguire's goal would have been disallowed due to the offside.
In their statement, the FA explained that the use of VAR was limited due to the infrastructure, workforce, and costs required for its operation. This meant that only matches played at Wembley Stadium and Premier League grounds would have the VAR system in place. However, this decision was met with shock by football legends Ian Wright and Roy Keane, who were both in disbelief that the linesman did not spot the offside in real time.
Despite the controversy surrounding Maguire's goal, it cannot be denied that it was a superb header that got United out of a tough spot. With the win, they secured a spot in the next round of the FA Cup. But as Keane pointed out, they got out of jail today and will need to improve their performance if they want to continue their journey in the competition.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
