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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino denies his team will gain an advantage by playing the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United at their temporary Wembley home. Spurs, who are using the national stadium this season while their new 61,500-seater stadium is being built, have turned Wembley into a fortress, suffering just two Premier League defeats there all season, and beating Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal and United. Defender Jan Vertonghen suggested Spurs can benefit from their familiarity with the stadium but Pochettino said Jose Mourinho’s side have plenty of experience of their own at the venue. “Of course, we feel at home,” he told a news conference on Thursday. “But it’s different to when we play in the Premier League. “I don’t believe (we will have an advantage) because Manchester United have the experience (of playing) at Wembley, too. It’s not an event just for us. “I think it will be a typical cup game at Wembley - half Tottenham and half Manchester United. I don’t believe we are going to have some advantage for that.” It will be United’s 29th appearance in an FA Cup semi-final, with their most recent win in the competition coming in 2016. Tottenham, who last lifted the trophy in 1991, have suffered defeats in each of their last seven semi-finals in the competition. Pochettino confirmed he had yet to make a decision on who would start in goal against United. Dutch goalkeeper Michel Vorm has started in every round of the competition so far this season and could be expected to feature again. Meanwhile, first-choice shot-stopper Hugo Lloris has come under scrutiny for a reckless lunge on Raheem Sterling which handed Manchester City a penalty in Spurs’ 3-1 Premier League defeat last weekend. “For me, it wasn’t a mistake but I respect all opinions,” Pochettino added. “No doubt he is one of the best keepers and he has shown that over the last four years with us. For us always every season (he) was improving and I think we have luck to have Hugo Lloris in goal.” With inputs from Reuters
FA Cup semi-final, highlights, Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur: Alexis Sanchez, Ander Herrera send Red Devils to final
Catch all the live updates from the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
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FT! Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham choke once again following their loss at the same stage last season. They started strongly with Dele Alli giving them the lead after ten minutes. However, they allowed United to grow into the match and they made the most of it. Spurs had more of the possession but couldn’t get past a resolute United defence led by Smalling and Jones. However, the man of the match has to be Paul Pogba. The Frenchman has been criticised far too often this season and rightly so. But he delivered today as did Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean was always in the thick of things and his well-taken header levelled things up for United. He also played a crucial part in creating Herrera’s winner. United will face either Chelsea or Southampton in the final on 19 May.
The match-winner
FT! Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United book their spot in the FA Cup final after goals from Alexis Sanchez and Ander Herrera helps them beat Tottenham Hotspur who had taken the lead through Dele Alli.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Five minutes added on. Rashford finds himself in a one-on-one situation with Dier but the Spurs man does well to get in a good block and Spurs attack yet again.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Three minutes to play and Spurs have laid siege to the United box. Vertonghen wins a free-kick on the left. Lamela whips in a good cross towards Wanyama who couldn’t direct his header on goal.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs make their third and final change as Lamela comes on for Son. Rashford picks up a booking for simulation.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Rashford, who was supposed to come on before Valencia’s injury, finally comes on in place of Jese Lingard who had a quiet outing today.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Valencia gives away a poor free-kick on the left after Alli puts him under pressure. In the resultant stoppage, Poch replaces Dembele with Victor Wanyama. Vertonghen skies his volley from the free-kick and another chance goes waste. Valencia, meanwhile, goes down injured and Mourinho is forced to bring on Matteo Darmian in his place.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Eriksen nearly levels it up for Spurs. United are slow to close down on the Dane and he sends a left-footed shot just past De Gea’s post. To be honest, the Spaniard was slow to react and is lucky to see the ball go past his post.
Manchester United 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
First change of the match and it’s an attacking one. Pochettino hauls off Ben Davies and brings on the pacey winger Lucas Moura. Dier slots in at moves to centre-back as Vertonghen takes up Davies’ position.
GOAL! Ander Herrera scores for Manchester United
United take the lead! Sanchez does well to shield the ball from Trippier. He puts in a cross which Lukaku fails to control. The ball, though, rolls kindly for Herrera who shoots from between Davies’ legs to make it 2-1.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Good attacking play from both sides. Herrera pulls the ball back for Lingard who’s first-time shot is blocked by Trippier. A couple of moments later, Eriksen whips in a dangerous ball but it’s just a bit far from Alli’s reach.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Pogba and Sanchez have been the best players for United and look most likely to score. While Lukaku has gotten on the end of a couple of long-balls, the Belgian and Lingard have been kept quiet by the Tottenham defence.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs get us underway Kane jostling with Jones to get on the end of a long-ball. The United defender wins the header and Pogba hooks it away.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Two minutes of added time in the first half and Dier almost gives Spurs the lead! He finds the time a space to let go from outside the box and his shot gets a deflection off Smalling. De Gea stays rooted to the spot as the ball hits the post! And with that, the referee blows for half time.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Son finds himself in acres of space in the left of the United box. He gets on the end of Eriksen’s chipped ball but his cross is blocked for a corner by Smalling. Poor corner from Eriksen as De Gea pouches it comfortably.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Kane has been dropping in deep to help Eriksen move the ball past the United midfield and on one such foray, he finds De Gea off his line and shoots from just after the centre circle. No power in it whatsoever and De Gea collects it on the bounce.
Manchester United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur
A couple of meaty challenges thrown in from both sides as Valencia and Son get booked. Valencia’s tackle on Alli especially looked bad. Kane is fouled and Eriksen dummies and passes the ball to an unmarked Trippier wide on the right but the Spurs No 2 fails to collect the ball cleanly and Spurs’ miss a good chance. A minute later, Son goes does easily under Pogba’s challenge. Looked like a dive to be honest.
Sanchez equalises for United!
Paul Pogba manages to wrestle Dembele off the ball on the left before spotting Sanchez’s run into the box. The Chilean does incredibly well to lean backwards to cushion the ball beyond a stationary Michel Vorm into the goal.
Manchester United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Almost a second for Spurs! Son does extremely well to thread the ball between a packed United defence to Kane, who fends off Jones and lays it to an onrushing Eriksen. The Dane’s chipped shot is just inches wide of David de Gea’s far post.
10` GOAL! Dele Alli give Spurs the lead!
Brilliant counter-attack from Spurs! The Lillywhites fend off a United attack and Eriksen finds himself in acres of space on the right with Young deep inside the Spurs’ half. The Dane sprints to the edge of the box and crosses the ball towards Alli on the far post who slides the ball into the empty net!
Manchester United 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur
And we’re off! Spurs get right on the attack and they get two corners back-to-back. Kane’s shot is deflected behind and from the resultant corner, Son’s pull-back into the box is put behind the line. There’s a moment of concern for United as Sanchez is caught on his left calf with a studs-up challenge from Trippier. The referee doesn’t spot it but the Chilean goes down clutching the back of his leg. It has been a fast start to the match!
Hugo Lloris starts on the bench for Tottenham as Mauricio Pochettino opts for Michel Vorm on goal.
Here is how Manchester United line up at Wembley today. Lukaku, Sanchez and Lingard lead United’s attack with a midfield trio of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera.