Talk of 2021: the Year in Summary

Ian, Andy, and Carl are all feeling a bit better about Manchester United, football, and life in general after Bruno Fernandes inspired a 4-2 home victory against Sheffield United. There was a landmark moment during that game as Ethan Wheatley became the 250th academy graduate to feature for the first team; we get into the nitty gritty of the world's most successful youth system. We also have a brief update on developments at executive level, look at the 17/19 rule on season tickets, and the race to Europe with a trip to improving Burnley up next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can an FA Cup semi-final win at Wembley leave fans feeling empty, if not despairing? That's the conundrum we try to unravel on this podcast. Recorded late on Sunday evening, in a state of serious fatigue, it's a riddle that tests our panel to their limits. What turned this performance from a stroll in the park into a near-catastrophic collapse. So, from substitutions to celebrations, from the sublime to the ridiculous, and from Mongolia to Manchester, we cover plenty of ground trying to get to the bottom of a crazy day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're looking for positives today on Talk of the Devils, and not just from Real Madrid. The U18s won their league this week and there's plenty of talent coming through. We also saw the first meeting of a new committee charged with planning the regeneration of Old Trafford. And, of course, it's Wembley this Sunday for an FA Cup semi-final against Coventry. Swedish sensation Jesper Blomqvist joins us to remember one of the greatest semi-finals in the history of the competition, 25 years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy is feeling a little low after his ambitions were thwarted in dramatic fashion in the Manchester Marathon. Unfortunately, Erik Ten Hag's Manchester United hit roadworks of their own at the Vitality Stadium. A draw, and they were arguably lucky to escape with a point, means the team's Champions League hopes are hanging by the finest of threads. We've a full report on the match and rumours of a press conference spat involving the manager. The FA Cup offers hope for Manchester United's men, and the women will head to Wembley for the final of their equivalent after they beat Chelsea for the first time since the team's reformation. HOST: Ian Irving WITH: Andy Mitten and Carl Anka PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Whitwell is called away from the airport departure lounge to fill us in on his breaking story, that Manchester United's Football Director John Murtough has left his post this week. Promoted internally and given a subtly different job title to many of his supposed equivalents, he has been viewed as a Glazer man by some with all the baggage that brings. But, as Andy and Carl explain, things are rarely as straight-forward as they appear from outside. Meanwhile, it looks like INEOS are going for more of the same from the women's team, with Marc Skinner rumoured to be close to agreeing a new deal. Can they oust Chelsea in this weekend's FA Cup semi-final? We were delighted to hear from Federico Macheda on The Athletic this week, even if it does make us feel quite old... he was full of praise for Kobbie Mainoo after the youngster's identikit goal against Liverpool. What we'd give for a follow-up at Bournemouth! HOST: Ian Irving WITH: Andy Mitten and Carl Anka PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manchester United will finish the season unbeaten against Liverpool after another "silly" game at Old Trafford finished in a two-all draw. After an hour, Erik Ten Hag's men had achieved an xG of 0.01, yet they were level at 1-1, Bruno's magnificent 40-yard effort cancelling out the far-post finish from Luis Diaz at a corner. The game then swung completely when Kobbie Mainoo recreated Federico Macheda's famous curler. Sadly, Liverpool did square it up at the end via a Salah penalty, and the podcast team are now looking anxiously at the mid-table sides gaining ground as the run-in hots up. HOST: Ian Irving WITH: Carl Anka, Andy Mitten PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two crucial fixtures in West London in the last five days have yielded just one point for Erik Ten Hag's Manchester United. If that wasn't bad enough, they held the lead going into the 99th minute in both games. If Brentford was bad, this was an astonishing evening at Stamford Bridge. Looking fairly comfortable having put together another remarkable comeback, the Red Devils suddenly imploded to throw away all three points. So, what does this result, and the manner of the defeat, mean for Erik Ten Hag's future as Manchester United manager? HOST: Ian Irving WITH: Andy Mitten, Carl Anka, Laurie Whitwell PRODUCER: Ollie Bellwood Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead *** • Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/reddevils Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It may be Easter, but it feels a lot like a Monday as Ian Irving hosts Andy Mitten and Carl Anka to "pick over the carcass" of Saturday night's performance at Brentford. Such was the home side's dominance, it's easy to forget this finished a draw. But, after Mason Mount's late goal was cancelled out, it felt like a defeat, with comparisons even drawn to the horror show at the same venue last season. What price a win at Chelsea, then, and how will this squad look next season, with question marks over so many of the personnel in midfield and defence? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back after the international break and we are all aboard Kobbie's hype train! After the Carrington graduate bossed Belgium, it's time for the rest of the country to acknowledge what we already knew; Mainoo is the future. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions and requests; we get to as many of those as we can, covering midfield options with or without Casemiro, the future at left-back, and our podcast roles as Man United heroes. Saturday evening sees Ten Hag's men make their first of two upcoming stops in West London. Brentford are this weekend's opponents, bringing back some ugly memories for manager, fans, and podcasters alike. *** Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/reddevils Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Whitwell returns to the pod to make it a full complement as we bask in the glory of a magnificent, dramatic, extra time victory over Liverpool in what is being called the greatest FA Cup win in Manchester United's history. There are so many threads to follow from a day packed with drama; the comeback, the supreme performances from young players, stories of redemption, and of course denying Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at least one trophy in his farewell tour. Enjoy this bumper edition as we go into a short break for the international window. When we return, Erik Ten Hag's team will make their final push for the Champions League and prepare to take on Mark Robins' Coventry at Wembley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices