Forgotten man Amad Diallo proved Manchester United’s FA Cup hero with a 120th-minute winner in a seven-goal thriller – and then got sent off for celebrating.
It provided a fitting coda to a wildly entertaining 4-3 win that kept alive United’s hopes of lifting a trophy this season and set up a semi-final next month against Coventry City at Wembley.
It also ended Jurgen Klopp’s chances of winning a quadruple in his final season as Liverpool manager, having already claimed the Carabao Cup.
Diallo, 21, was only making his 13th appearance for United since joining from Atalanta three years ago, having been sent on loan to Rangers and Sunderland.
But the Ivorian wrote his name into folklore with a match-winning cameo against their old rivals that even a second yellow card for taking off his shirt in celebration couldn’t spoil.
“I think it’s the best goal of my career. This is football, you need to believe, and I am very happy to score,” Diallo said.
“I forgot the first yellow and am very disappointed [to be sent off] but the most important for me is to win against a big team like Liverpool.”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “At 2-1 we had so many chances to kill the game off. The rest is already history.”
United’s last hope of silverware rested on the FA Cup and they started the stronger, taking the lead in the 10th minute when Scott McTominay followed up Alejandro Garnacho’s shot.
Liverpool grew into the contest and equalised in the 44th minute when Alexis Mac Allister made space to shoot and his effort took a nick off Kobbie Mainoo that wrongfooted United goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Just moments later, in first-half stoppage time, Mohamed Salah put the visitors in front when Onana’s parry fell to the Egyptian and he fired home right-footed, via the post.
Liverpool failed to convert their second-half dominance into further goals and they were punished three minutes from time when Anthony swivelled and fired into the bottom corner.
United almost punished the shellshocked visitors again with the last kick of regular time, Marcus Rashford collecting a raking pass but slotting his shot wide of the far post.
Diallo was sent off for taking off his shirt in celebration at scoring United’s winner
Liverpool appeared to tire in extra-time but Harvey Elliott restored their lead just before the end of the first period when his 25-yard shot clipped Christian Eriksen’s studs and skidded past Onana.
But the hosts drew level again in the 112nd minute when McTominay intercepted and fed Rashford, who this time swept a low shot past Caiomhin Kelleher at the near post.
And Diallo won it as the clock struck 120 minutes, finishing a counter-attack he started by steering a low shot across Kelleher and into the far corner.
An ecstatic Diallo took off his shirt in the ensuing celebrations, only to receive a second yellow card and be sent straight down the tunnel.