The width of a toenail cost Coventry City a place in the FA Cup final after a remarkable comeback against Manchester United on Sunday but manager Mark Robins said he was proud of his players after losing a penalty shootout.

Robins, who won the Cup as player with United in 1990, watched his side battle back from 3-0 down after 71 minutes with goals from Ellis Simms and Callum O’Hare and a Haji Wright penalty deep into stoppage time.

Second-tier Coventry were the better side in extra time and thought they had pulled off a remarkable win against the 12-time champions when Victor Torp scored from close range 20 seconds from the end of extra time.

The joy of the 36,000 travelling Coventry fans turned to tears though as Torp’s goal was disallowed by VAR with Wright adjudged to have been centimetres offside before playing the ball across the face of goal.

United then won 4-2 on penalties to deny Coventry a second FA Cup final, having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in 1987, and prevent them from becoming the first team from outside the Premier League to reach the final since Cardiff City in 2008.

Despite the outcome it felt like a moral victory for Coventry who were magnificent after a poor first hour.

“Bitterly disappointed, but I’m proud as well,” said Robins whose goal in an FA Cup third round for United against Nottingham Forest in 1990 is said to have saved then manager Alex Ferguson’s job and paved the way for a glittering era.

“Someone said to me I don’t think any team have been as close to a final without getting there.

“We deserved to go through, we were 20 seconds away and a toenail offside, it’s ridiculous.”

Robins said Simms’ goal gave his side belief after struggling to make any impact before that.

“We thought it might be a consolation and then the second loops in and it gives us a lifeline. Your tails are up then. Haji sticks a penalty away and all to play for,” he said.

“They hit the bar, we hit the bar. Another goal with 20 seconds to go. It took an age. The fourth official said there was nothing wrong with it (initially). A toenail offside.”

-Reuters

Manchester United scraped into the FA Cup final on penalties despite throwing away a three-goal lead against Championship side Coventry in an epic semi-final at Wembley.

The final match in May will now be a repeat of last year’s.

Coventry, a Championship side, gave Premier League’s Manchester United what could be biggest scare they ever had.

It all looked like it was going to be an easy game for United after an half time two goal lead. A third goal was put in the third mid-way into the half time before a twist ensued.

Manchester United only took the game into penaty shoot-out because Coventry City’s Victor Torp’s effort in injury time in extra time was ruled out for offside by video assistant referee Peter Bankes.

But after Bradley Collins saved United’s first kick, from Casemiro, Andre Onana denied Callum O’Hare, then unsettled Ben Sheaf with some verbal jousting – and the Coventry captain missed – allowing Rasmus Hojlund to win it.

What the watching United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe made of it would be interesting to know. Thirty-four years ago, Mark Robins’ goalscoring heroics in the FA Cup kept Sir Alex Ferguson in a job. Who knows what damage Robins’ Coventry side have done to Erik ten Hag’s chances of keeping his?

United thought they were cruising to a repeat of last season’s final with neighbours Manchester City when they led 3-0 thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

But in front of Ratcliffe, who had completed the London Marathon earlier in the day, co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer and new technical director Jason Wilcox, United imploded and Coventry took full advantage.

After Ellis Simms and O’Hare reduced the deficit, Haji Wright kept his nerve in stoppage time to score from the spot and send the game into extra time.

For a brief moment, Torp allowed delirious Coventry fans believe their team were coming back next month to try to emulate the Sky Blue heroes of their 1987 triumph over Tottenham.

It was not to be. But when it was all over, it was the Championship players who were taking the acclaim of their fans as Ten Hag and his players rather sheepishly made their way to the dressing rooms.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola lashed out at the FA Cup schedule after his side beat Chelsea 1-0 to reach the final on April 20, three days after their treble bid was ended by defeat on penalties by Real Madrid in the Champions League.

A late goal by Bernardo Silva got holders City over the line, although they rode their luck against a Chelsea side who were punished for not taking the numerous chances they created.

Silva side-footed home in the 84th minute after Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic parried a Kevin de Bruyne shot.

The Portuguese, who missed a penalty in the shoot-out defeat at home to Real, said he was “very happy after a very frustrating week for all of us, for me personally”.

“The good thing is in football, if you play at Man City, you play every three days, so after two to three days, you have a chance for a bit of revenge and to put things right.”

City, who were without fatigued striker Erling Haaland, lacked their usual zip and, despite reaching another final, Guardiola was clearly agitated at his side’s lack of recovery time after the heartache of the Champions League exit on April 17.

“It’s unacceptable to let us play today,” Guardiola said. “It’s impossible, for the health of the players. It’s not normal. It’s unacceptable – 120 minutes, the emotions of Madrid, the way we lose, honestly.

“I know this country is special (with the FA Cup) but it’s for the health of the players. I don’t understand how we survived today.”

He could not fathom why City’s game against Chelsea was not scheduled for April 21 rather than Manchester United’s semi-final clash with second-tier Coventry City, neither of whom had to play a match in midweek.

“The only power I have I say here. Why don’t we play tomorrow? Chelsea, Manchester United, Coventry didn’t play midweek,” the Spaniard said.

“Mentally so tough to recover. Rodri, the way he played today, Kyle (Walker), who was injured for a few weeks, I don’t understand how they survived.

“We want to play football, we love to play football, but it’s too much. We defend our trophy. We’ll be here.”

The exit to Real ended City’s hopes of a second straight treble, although they are still in the hunt for an English Premier League and FA Cup double.

Chelsea, whose last visit to Wembley ended in League Cup final defeat by a late Liverpool goal in extra time in February, squandered some of the best chances.

Senegalese Nicolas Jackson was particularly profligate.

He had the first shot on target in the eighth minute but it was easily collected by Stefan Ortega in the City goal. Early in the second half, Jackson had two chances to put the ball away but Ortega intercepted both.

There were also opportunities for 21-year-old former City attacker Cole Palmer, who scored four goals against Everton in the league on April 15, and for Noni Madueke.

A last-gasp free kick from substitute Mykhailo Mudryk sailed over the bar, while Chelsea also had a penalty appeal turned down when Palmer’s free kick struck Jack Grealish’s hand in the wall but the video assistant referee ruled in City’s favour.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen for their disappointing season to end and start afresh after his side’s last hopes of silverware were extinguished. 

“Today we competed well. I cannot say we were the better side because that is difficult to measure. The most important thing is we competed,” he said.

“We need to take positives from the game. This group needs these types of moments from games to improve.”

–Reuters/ AFP