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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Everton v Manchester United, FA Cup semi-final

We followed all the action from Wembley.

Good afternoon football fans and welcome along to our live coverage of the FA Cup semi-final between Everton and Manchester United at Wembley.

Kick-off is at 5.15pm and we’ll have all the build-up between now and then.

The team news for the first of this year’s FA Cup semi-finals is in.

Darron Gibson starts for Everton while Wayne Rooney captains United.

A full house is expected at Wembley, with fans making their way to the ground as kick-off approaches.

Everton v Manchester United - Emirates FA Cup - Semi-Final - Wembley Stadium Nick Potts Nick Potts

Roberto Martinez makes three changes to the side which suffering that chastening defeat at Anfield during the week. Gibson, along with Jagielka and Cleverley, come in

The big question is who will play at right-back in the absence of Seamus Coleman? Besic looks like the obvious candidate but we’ll soon find out.

Meanwhile, Man United have made four changes from the win over Crystal Palace. Marouane Fellaini starts in midfield alongside Michael Carrick.

We’re certainly set for an interesting midfield battle.

United haven’t won the FA Cup since 2004 and with the pressure growing on Louis van Gaal, this competition represents a genuine chance to salvage something from another disappointing season.

These two sides met at this stage of the competition back in 2009. This is what happened:

nikkitillo92 / YouTube

Here is a reminder of today’s teams.

Everton: Robles, Stones, McCarthy, Jagielka, Baines; Besic, Gibson; Lennon, Barkley, Cleverley; Lukaku.

Subs: Howard, Hibbert, Oviedo, Mirallas, Deulofeu, Osman, Pennington.

Manchester United: De Gea, Fosu-Mensah, Smalling, Blind, Rojo, Carrick, Fellaini, Lingard, Rooney, Martial, Rashford.

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Valencia, Herrera, Mata, Schneiderlin, Memphis.

The teams emerge from the tunnel at Wembley. Cracking atmosphere inside the ground and lets hope this one lives up to the occasion. Neither side have been in particularly good form of late but that often goes out the window in a cup tie of this magnitude.

Kick-off! United get us underway at Wembley.

Relatively quiet opening to the game as both sides look to settle into the contest.

Brilliant run from Martial has Everton stretched but as the Frenchman looks to cross, Stones diverts it behind. From the corner, Fellaini heads goalwards but his effort is tame.

Close! Aaron Lennon is penalised on the far touchline and Rooney stands over the free-kick. His delivery is dangerous and Rojo flicks it on but it sails narrowly wide of the upright.

Off the line! Out of nothing, Lukaku finds himself through on goal. The striker goes around David de Gea only for Wayne Rooney to get back and head it off his own line.

That was shocking defending from United. A straightforward goal kick wasn’t dealt with as Blind and Fosu-Mensah failed to deal with it.

It’s been a really entertaining opening to the contest with both teams looking vulnerable defensively. Joel Robles is called into action for the first time as he closes down Lingard after he got in behind Baines.

Everton are looking to go direct and they’re having plenty of joy in the early stages. Barkley picks up the loose ball and looks to test De Gea’s handling but his effort was straight at the goalkeeper.

The game is incredibly open so far with both sides afforded so much space. On this occasion, Lukaku latches onto another ball over the top and he forced De Gea into a smart save.

Aaron Lennon and Marcos Rojo battle for possession.

Everton v Manchester United - Emirates FA Cup - Semi-Final - Wembley Stadium PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Marcus Rashford gets his first sight of goal but he fails to make decent contact with the cross and it’s comfortable for Joel. United really asking questions now but as of yet haven’t found the breakthrough.

Chance! United are really knocking on the door. Patient build-up play creates the opening for Martial but he fired over with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Rooney the latest to have a shot from range and he forces Joel Robles into a smart stop, low to his left.

Everton have settled down now and a spell of concerted pressure results in James McCarthy trying his luck from range.

GOAL! Everton 0-1 Man United (Fellaini)

Everton concede their first goal in this competition this year and it’s their former midfielder who does the damage. Martial does brilliantly to get to the byline and cut it back for Fellaini to sweep it home.

It wasn’t the cleanest contact but the Belgian did enough to finish and give United the lead.

Rashford and Martial have been brilliant in the first half with their pace and movement causing Everton untold problems. Louis van Gaa’s side probably deserve their lead as we approach half-time.

The man for the big occasion.

Everton really are defensively all over the place. John Stones doesn’t inspire much confident at right-back while Besic and Jagielka are off the pace. Roberto Martinez will be desperate to get his side in at half-time without any more damage being done.

Everton certainly not out of this by any means but United are in control of this semi-final tie and should really have a bigger advantage heading into the break. One minute of added time.

Half-time! Boos from the Everton end as the referee brings the first period to an end.

Everton v Manchester United - Emirates FA Cup - Semi-Final - Wembley Stadium John Walton John Walton

The teams are back out. Can Everton find a way back into this game or will Man United continue their dominance?

Everton need to be far more positive in possession and get a stranglehold of the game. United were allowed to dictate proceedings far too easily before the break and the direct running of Martial and Rashford was causing the Toffees all sorts of problems.

Rooney, who is operating slightly deeper, was outstanding in the first half.

It’s actually quite difficult to watch Everton. They’re so disjointed and it’s hard to believe that this team was so organised and well-drilled under Martinez last season.

The Everton supporters behind de Gea’s goal are desperately trying to lift their team.

End-to-end at the start of the second period. Everton have come out of the blocks quickly and are certainly looking sharper – but are still giving United so much space.

Van Gaal’s side remain patient and after a period of sustained possession, Lingard lets fly but snatches at his effort.

Penalty! Everton break and Fosu-Mensah brings down Barkley and Anthony Taylor points to the spot.

SAVED! Brilliant from De Gea. He gets down low to his right to palm Lukaku’s penalty to safety.

De Gea called into action again as he dives away to his right to deny Barkley from a free-kick. Everton are seeing plenty of the ball.

Louis van Gaal has decided to bring Fosu-Mensah off and he’s replaced by Valencia. It was a big call from the referee but it was the right one. The young defender caught Barkley and he certainly didn’t get the ball.

Chance! For the first time, Aaron Lennon runs at Rojo and he stands up a delightful cross for Cleverley to attack. The former United midfielder gets ahead of Fosu-Mensah but is unable to keep his effort down at the back-post.

 

Everton have turned the complexion of this tie around all of a sudden and have United penned inside their own half.

The Toffees firmly in the ascendancy now. Whatever Martinez said to his players at half-time has certainly worked as they’ve come out with a renewed purpose and energy. We’re in for an entertaining final 25 minutes at Wembley.

Here’s a look at De Gea’s superb save.

What a game this is turning out to be. Lukaku has another sight of goal but he can’t rise high enough to keep his header down. Everton are turning the screw now and look a shadow of the side they were in the first half.

United, meanwhile, are weathering the storm and are lucky to have their lead intact.

Off the line! Fellaini should really make it 2-0 but somehow Jagielka gets back to make a last-ditch intervention. On closer inspection, the Everton skipper appears to have used to his hand as he desperately dived in to deny his former team-mate.

Breathless stuff at Wembley. A real cup tie.

Everton v Manchester United - Emirates FA Cup - Semi-Final - Wembley Stadium Nick Potts Nick Potts

Martinez looks to plan B. Deulofeu is introduced for Aaron Lennon.

United looking to take the sting out of this Everton fightback. It falls to Rooney on the edge of the area and after creating the space for himself, his effort is deflected into the arms of the goalkeeper by Stones.

The United captain has been hugely influential all afternoon.

GOAL! Everton 1-1 Man United (Smalling own goal)

Everton are level! They work it out wide to Deulofeu. The substitute fires a low ball across the box only for Smalling to slide in and divert it past De Gea.

Save! Deulofeu breaks and forces de Gea into another fine save with the rebound very nearly falling into the path of Lukaku to tap home.

Moments later, Lukaku very nearly gets on the end of a cross from the left. You can’t take your eyes off this one.

That was poor from Smalling. He got himself in a tangle and it actually goes in off his right knee when he should have been leading with his left to clear.

Block! Everton surge forward and there are four blue shirts calling for it. Barkley goes right and it falls to Lukaku, who takes it onto his right foot and unleashes only for Fellaini to get back and deflect behind.

United pushing for a winner now. Valencia wins a corner and from the resulting set-piece, Jagielka is forced to head behind. Blind trots over to the far side to whip in another dangerous ball.

Everton just about scramble it clear and they have numbers on the break…

Both sides pushing for a winner in the final few minutes of the regulation 90. Martial fires the ball across the six-yard area but Lingard just can’t make up the ground to get on the end of it.

This is absorbing stuff.

United will look back on this incident. Jagielka prevents Fellaini from making it 2-0 with his hand.

Everton v Manchester United - Emirates FA Cup - Semi-Final - Wembley Stadium EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

Ander Herrera is on for Fellaini as we approach the final few minutes. It’s anyone’s game.

Martial attempts an overhead kick but it’s blocked and Everton look to break and Herrera cynically hauls down Barkley. The sub is booked just moments after coming on.

GOAL! Everton 1-2 Man United (Martial)

We’re heading towards extra time. Into the final minute of stoppage time.

Just as we were all preparing for extra time, United find a breakthrough in the final minute of added time. Is their name written on the cup?

Martial wins it for United! He latches onto Herrera’s ball and fires past Joel Robles to spark jubilant scenes in the United end.

Full-time! Everton 1-2 Man United

You’ve got to feel for Everton having fought their way back into the game but United were well worth the win and will return to Wembley on Saturday, 21 May for the FA Cup final.

It will be United’s first appearance in the showcase fixture of the English football calendar since 2007. They will face the winners of tomorrow’s semi-final between Crystal Palace and Watford.

Thanks for joining us this afternoon, we’ll have plenty of reaction from Wembley to follow.

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