Leicester City Manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy Frustrated By Offside Decision In FA Cup Loss To Manchester United

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Ruud van Nistelrooy expressed his dissatisfaction after Leicester City's FA Cup defeat to Manchester United. The match ended with a controversial goal by Harry Maguire in stoppage time. Maguire's header, which appeared offside, was allowed due to the absence of VAR at this stage of the competition. Van Nistelrooy remarked, "We were not defeated in 'Fergie time', we were defeated in offside time."

Bobby De Cordova-Reid had put Leicester ahead with a header just before halftime. Joshua Zirkzee equalised for Manchester United, setting up a tense finish. Van Nistelrooy criticised the lack of VAR, stating, "This wasn't necessary. Look, VAR, you have a couple of centimetres, a couple of inches. This was half a metre, clear in line."

Leicester's manager felt his team deserved more from the game. He praised their performance and believed they should have reached extra-time. "It was a very good team performance," he said. "We deserved to go into extra-time and go for the battle, and maybe penalties."

Ruben Amorim, Manchester United's manager, acknowledged their fortune with the decision. He supported the use of VAR despite benefiting from its absence this time. Amorim noted that Maguire had previously conceded a penalty against Arsenal in their last match.

Amorim commented on the importance of fairness in football: "With VAR it's not a goal," he said. "I think it's important to have VAR because it's fair for the game." He also mentioned that his team deserved some luck after recent challenges.

Leicester has now lost three out of four FA Cup encounters against Manchester United. The absence of video assistance played a significant role in this latest defeat. The controversy surrounding Maguire's goal highlights ongoing debates about technology in football.

The match left fans and players reflecting on what could have been if VAR had been available. Both managers agreed on its necessity for ensuring fair outcomes in crucial matches like these.