LONDON: Manchester United suffered their most embarrassing FA Cup defeat for 26 years when Leeds United pulled off a stunning 1-0 third-round victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.
A 19th-minute goal from in-form striker Jermaine Beckford gave the League One (third division) leaders victory as United, who have won the Cup a record 11 times, went out at this stage for the first time since 1984.
Arsenal came from behind to beat London rivals West Ham 2-1.
Holders Chelsea made sure there was no slip-up at Stamford Bridge where they crushed Championship (second division) Watford 5-0 after streaking into a 3-0 lead in 22 minutes.
Daniel Sturridge, John Eustace (own goal) and Florent Malouda settled the outcome with early goals before Sturridge and Frank Lampard scored in the second half to ensure Chelsea eliminated Watford for the second season running.
However, no one followed the script at Old Trafford after Beckford struck his fifth goal in three games and 20th of the season.
The chance was fashioned by a 50-meter ball from Johnny Howson, which went over the champions’ defense, allowing Beckford to control it and angle a shot wide of goalkeeper Tomas Kuszczak.
It was the first time Alex Ferguson had suffered defeat in the third round; the stage at which the top clubs enter the FA Cup, since he became United manager in 1986.
United’s first lost to lower league opposition since 1984 also gave Leeds a memorable victory at a ground where they regularly used to duel with United for national supremacy before their slide down the leagues.
The 9,000 away fans went wild with delight at the end of a thrilling Cup tie, which produced the first big shock of the round after a series of predictable results on Saturday.
Leeds manager Simon Grayson praised his team. “It was a good long diagonal ball from Johnny Howson and nine times out of 10 Jermaine finishes them off and that’s what he did,” he told ITV.
“We gave ourselves an opportunity to go and win the game from there and with a bit of luck here and there we’ve hung on.
“I am sure they will be celebrating in Leeds for the next few days.” Grayson’s men thoroughly deserved their victory, which would have been more comfortable if Beckford had scored after 78 minutes instead of dragging his shot just wide.
Robert Snodgrass smashed a 25-meter free kick against the United bar two minutes later before goalkeeper Casper Ankergren parried a goalbound effort from Wayne Rooney in stoppage time.
Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov and Rooney went close to equalizing for United but Leeds, who needed a replay to get past non-League Kettering Town in the last round, hung on for a memorable victory — their first at Old Trafford since 1981.
Ferguson ‘shocked’
Sir Alex Ferguson, the veteran Manchester United manager, said he was “shocked” by the way his side had lost at home to third-tier Leeds.
Defeat was the first time Ferguson, in charge of United since 1986, had overseen a defeat in the third round, the stage at which teams from English football’s top two divisions enter the FA Cup.
Jermaine Beckford’s 19th minute goal gave League One leaders Leeds, 43 places below English champions United, their first Old Trafford victory in 29 years during what Ferguson readily conceded was “just a bad” display by his side.
“The preparation for the game was very good, but I’m shocked by the performance,” Ferguson told MUTV, United’s in-house television station. “We didn’t start right and Leeds did start right. They got their goal and had something to hold onto,” the 68-year-old Scot added.
“They fought like tigers, and we expect that with any team coming to Old Trafford for an FA Cup tie. It’s a disappointment.” Reflecting on Leeds’s decisive goal, Ferguson said: “We did speak about Beckford’s pace up front. “We were caught napping really, it was a bad goal for us to lose. The whole performance in the first-half was bad. We never got going and the quality of the passing — the whole performance was just bad.
“It’s one of these things. We’re only human and sometimes you have performances that surprise you. But we didn’t expect that today.” Ferguson added: “I don’t think any of the players can say they had a good day. Maybe only (Antonio) Valencia, when he came on, can say that. Even then it took us about ten minutes to get the ball to him.”
The United boss rested several players ahead of next week’s League Cup semifinal, first leg, tie against local rivals Manchester City and Ferguson said: “We have to get this result out of our system as quickly as possible.
“We have a semifinal on Wednesday and a lot of these players won’t be playing. You have to view this performance in the right light.
“We’ll make sure we’re ready for Wednesday now. We had a team in mind, but there will maybe be a few changes for that.” Leeds manager Simon Grayson hailed his “outstanding” side after they produced one of the great FA Cup shocks.
“It was a good ball from Jonathan Howson and Jermaine got in there and nine times out of 10 he finishes them off and that’s what he did,” Grayson told ITV of Beckford’s goal.
“He gave us an opportunity to go on and win the game from there and with a bit of luck that’s what we did,” the lifelong Leeds fan added.
“Full credit to the players who were outstanding today but it’s what they’ve been like all season.” Grayson, recalling how Brian Flynn had been the last man to score the winner for Leeds at Old Trafford back in 1981, added: “I saw Flynny the other week and he reminded me he was the last player to score the winner at Old Trafford.
“I told the players before the game this was the opportunity to be a new hero. I’m sure we’ll be celebrating in Leeds over the next few days and the players might have tomorrow (Monday) off then start ready for the Wycombe game at the weekend.”
