Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe added another remarkable achievement to his already decorated life by completing the famous London Marathon, crossing the line in a commendable time of four hours and thirty minutes. Yet, the physical strain of the race would soon feel minor compared to the emotional ordeal that awaited him later at Wembley Stadium.
Less than an hour after finishing the marathon, Ratcliffe took his seat to watch United face Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final, expecting a routine afternoon for Erik ten Hag’s men. For a while, that assumption seemed justified as United stormed into a commanding 3-0 lead and appeared to be cruising toward the final.
What followed, however, was a dramatic unraveling. Coventry, a Championship side, launched a stunning fightback that turned the contest into a nerve-shredding affair, pushing United to the brink of one of the competition’s greatest upsets. Deep into extra time, it briefly looked as though Coventry had completed the miracle, only for VAR to rule out the decisive goal for offside in the 121st minute.
With the match heading to penalties, the tension intensified. Casemiro’s spot-kick was saved, amplifying the anxiety among players, supporters, and officials alike. United eventually stumbled over the line, doing just enough to secure a place in the final and hand Ten Hag a second consecutive FA Cup final appearance following last season’s Carabao Cup triumph.
Despite reaching another showpiece occasion, doubts continue to swirl around Ten Hag’s reign. Appointed after an impressive spell at Ajax, the Dutchman has found life at Old Trafford far more turbulent. United’s season has been riddled with inconsistency, marked by a disappointing Champions League group-stage exit and a league position that leaves them seventh, sitting 16 points away from the European qualification places.
For a club of United’s size and ambition, anything outside the top four feels like underachievement, and that reality has sharpened scrutiny of the manager. Injuries to key figures such as Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have undeniably disrupted stability, but they fall short of fully explaining the team’s ongoing issues.
Defensive weaknesses remain a glaring problem. Since February, United have conceded seven goals in injury time alone, a statistic that underlines a recurring inability to manage games. Data from Understat paints an equally troubling picture, with United ranked as the fifth-worst team in the Premier League for expected goals against at 63.61, a figure better only than sides battling relegation. By comparison, Arsenal lead the league with an xGA of just 25.89, highlighting the vast difference in defensive solidity.
The problems extend beyond the back line. In attack, United sit 12th in expected goals with 50.36, a return that places them below teams like Everton and reflects a lack of consistent cutting edge. Tactical choices during the Coventry encounter only intensified criticism, particularly the substitutions of Alejandro Garnacho for Antony and Kobbie Mainoo for Christian Eriksen at a moment when Coventry’s momentum was growing.
In the end, progression to the final could not mask the wider concerns. The chaotic display against Coventry exposed familiar flaws: defensive fragility, limited attacking invention, and questionable in-game decisions. For the club’s new ownership, these repeated shortcomings may force difficult conversations about the direction of the team.
Lifting the FA Cup would offer a measure of relief, but it would not erase the deeper doubts surrounding Manchester United’s progress under Erik ten Hag, nor the sense that the club remains some distance from where it believes it should be.
