Lee Dixon hailed Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes for his 'quick thinking' in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final match against Liverpool.
The Red Devils went 1-0 up after only 10 minutes at Old Trafford thanks to Scott McTominay before Liverpool scored twice to lead 2-1 at halftime.
From the left side of the penalty area, Marcus Rashford found Alejandro Garnacho – who had space to shoot across goal – and after Caoimhin Kelleher did well to get a hand to it, it fell perfectly to McTominay to slot home from a few yards out.
But Dixon was impressed by Fernandes’ quick free-kick which started the attacking move as he played a long ball to Rashford from inside his own half.
‘Manchester United have definitely been the better team,’ Dixon said on commentary duties for ITV after the ball hit the back of the net.
‘It’s quick thinking [from Bruno Fernandes], the long ball to Rashford, it pushes Liverpool back.
‘Garnacho just wonders in there. There’s the space. It’s a half-decent save from Kelleher, but McTominay won’t get an easier one. That run there really opens you up. It’s no more than United deserve.’
Liverpool fans were left frustrated on social media that Wataru Endo did not do more to stop United from taking the free-kick quickly.
‘Endo should have stood on the ball, let Utd play a quick free kick,’ @LeonLecky posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
@RochardDockinso added: ‘Sloppy, easy foul given away, not alert to the quick free kick and punished. Gotta react better than that.’