Sir Alex Ferguson reaction speaks volumes as dismal Man Utd squeeze past Leicester in FA Cup

Manchester United beat Leicester 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup and former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson was seen watching the game alongside Sam Allardyce

Sir Alex Ferguson was pictured yawning as Manchester United narrowly beat Leicester 2-1 in the FA Cup on Friday.

A late goal from Harry Maguire earned United the win after Bobby De Cordova-Reid had put Leicester ahead in the first-half. Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back for United in the second-half, before Maguire headed home the winner in added time.

However, when the game was 1-1, broadcasters ITV cut to Ferguson in the crowd and the legendary Red Devils boss could be seen yawning. “Sir Alex Ferguson looks a bit tired,” quipped Lee Dixon on commentary.

“I hope he’s going to be able to stay up for extra time because we might well get it in ten minutes time,” responded Sam Matterface. Maguire’s goal, though, meant extra time was avoided and Ferguson was seen sharing a smile with former England boss Sam Allardyce after the final whistle.

Former United captain Roy Keane, meanwhile, branded the Red Devils’ first-half performance “boring”. Speaking on ITV, Keane said: “It has been shocking, really really poor . They are boring now.

“They should remind the players in the dressing room what the game is about. There is a goal that end. No energy, there is no energy in the stadium, they are waiting for something to happen.

“A lack of confidence, the urgency, giving it away cheaply. I just look at it from a United point of view and I’m thinking, ‘My goodness, is this what it’s come to?’ Nowhere near good enough.”

Although United did go on to get the win, Keane insisted their performance was “nowhere near good enough”. Speaking after full-time, he continued: “I don’t understand. There’s no energy – we go on about tactics, you have to play with energy, it is the starting point and enthusiasm.

“It doesn’t matter what system you are playing, you wont get near anyone. You have to close people down. We saw two bad teams out there. Don’t be fooled. You have to praise them, in the next round, but the performance itself was nowhere near good enough.”

United will be looking to put on a much improved display when they return to action next Sunday, with Ruben Amorim’s team set to take on Ange Postecoglou’s struggling Spurs side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.