Manchester (AP) – Even without the injured superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United was the last team to reach the fourth round in the English FA Cup.
The traditional football club coached by Ralf Rangnick struggled to a 1-0 (1-0) win against Premier League rivals Aston Villa in the third round. The winning goal for Man United at Old Trafford was scored by midfielder Scott McTominay with a header in the eighth minute. When the guests were supposed to equalize, Aston veteran Danny Ings was just offside (51st).
In the Premier League, Man United is currently only seventh in the table. Rangnick had decided before the cup game to spare Ronaldo, who was slightly injured on the hip. “A cup game can last 120 minutes and I thought it would be better not to take any risks,” explained the German interim coach.
Of the top teams in the league, Manchester City, Liverpool FC, Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur also made it to the next round; Arsenal FC, however, were eliminated 1-0 at Nottingham Forest the day before.
Rangnick was hired as an interim coach at the end of November. The 63-year-old should look after the Red Devils until the end of the season and then work as a consultant in the club for another two years.
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