Roy Keane believes Manchester United ‘got out of jail’ as they scraped past Leicester City into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
The Red Devils prevailed 2-1 at Old Trafford thanks to Harry Maguire‘s last-minute header.
However, replays showed Maguire was offside when Bruno Fernandes‘ free-kick was floated into the box.
Unfortunately for Leicester VAR was not in use for the tie, meaning they bowed out of the FA Cup thanks to a goal that shouldn’t have counted.
Keane was left baffled as to how the linesman missed what looked like a simple call to make.
“That’s just a poor decision,” Keane said on ITV.
“We talk about VAR, if it was here and it should be here, whatever, but the linesman’s got to see that, has to see that.”
The Red Devils legend did feel Foxes goalkeeper Mads Hermansen should have been more commanding, but couldn’t escape the feeling his former employers got lucky.
“I just think if your team were under pressure, I’d want your keeper to come,” Keane said.
“He ends up literally heading it in the six-yard box, I’d want my keeper to come there.
“But United got out of jail tonight. Harry [Maguire] said it there really well, [Alejandro] Garnacho, the subs obviously made a difference and they played a lot more direct.
“Forward passes, what they should do more of, they’re a much better team like that, but they rode their luck.”
United boss Ruben Amorim wasn’t exactly complimentary of his team’s performance either, as he lamented their lack of ‘energy in the beginning.’
Although his side put in a better display in the second half as they operated ‘with a little more speed’ and ‘winning second balls’, Amorim felt it was only ‘a good result, not a good performance.’
The manager’s verdict left Keane somewhat surprised, especially his comment regarding their energy.
“The manager is obviously really frustrated with the performance and he says about the team having no energy, that’s the bit I don’t understand,” Keane said.
“I get the tactics and players settling in, but you’ve got to play with energy because your starting point has to be energy and enthusiasm and you from there.
“If you have no energy, it doesn’t matter what system you’re playing, you won’t get near anyone.”
ITVThe United icon was left less than impressed with the team’s lack of energy[/caption]
Keane added: “Leicester were getting plenty of joy out there. We saw two bad teams out there tonight and any team with a bit more quality than Leicester would have got the job done.
“Man United rode their luck and he’s clearly frustrated with the performance.”
The tone of Keane’s full-time verdict was markedly different to what he had to say 45 minutes earlier.
As Amorim pointed out, United were sluggish in the first half and failed to register a single shot on target while Leicester were a goal up thanks to Bobby Decordova-Reid and had three shots on target.
Both teams had an even share of possession, with United completing just three more passes.
The poor display in the first-half sparked a scathing assessment from Keane.
“Shocking, really, really poor,” Keane said.
“You start looking at this United team for all the stats, again no shot on target, I think two shots on target against [Crystal] Palace, they’re really… Actually, they’re boring now.
“You feel like you should go in that dressing room and remind the players what the game’s about.”
Keane added: “No energy, there’s no energy in the stadium, someone’s waiting for something to happen so the players go and make something happen, and Leicester deserve the lead.”
Luckily for United, the half-time substitution of Garnacho for debutant Patrick Dorgu generated the spark they desperately needed.
It was the Argentinian winger’s driving run down the left that led to the equaliser, as his low cross found Rasmus Hojlund but his effort was blocked.
The rebound subsequently to Joshua Zirkzee, who tapped home in the 68th minute.
With the wind in their sail, United pushed for the winner but were met with a stubborn Foxes resistance.
Sadly for the visitors, it was broken by their former defender Maguire.