FA Cup: McTominay Sends United Past West Ham Into Quarterfinals

Manchester United narrowly edged past West Ham United into the FA Cup quarterfinals with a hard-earned 1-0 win on Tuesday as a lone strike from Scott McTominay was the difference between both sides.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer warned "wasteful" Manchester United to be "more clinical" after they progressed into the FA Cup quarterfinals.

Solskjaer's side was well below-par in a scrappy fifth-round tie at freezing, snow-dusted Old Trafford.

But a fine finish from Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay ensured United advanced to the last eight for a seventh successive season.

Scott McTominay's strike in extra time books Manchester United's spot in the quarter-finals of the #FACup, with a 1-0 win over West Ham.pic.twitter.com/jUShnGfUa0

— SuperSport ? (@SuperSportTV) February 9, 2021

This is the second time that Tominay's strike will be the only difference between United and their opposition in the FA Cup this term.

United last won the FA Cup in 2016 and McTominay's third goal in three games kept them in the hunt to lift the trophy for the 13th time.

After the frustration of the late Everton equaliser that dented their Premier League title challenge on Saturday, this was an essential result to lift the mood at United.

It was hardly an eye-catching performance, however, with United labouring against defensive West Ham until McTominay and Bruno Fernandes were introduced as second-half substitutes.

"When it's only 1-0 and we are wasteful, anything can happen to us. We knew that from the last game," Solskjaer said after the match.

READ ALSO: FA Cup: Fernandes' Free-kick Separates United, Liverpool

"I think we got about 15 to 17 shots in the end but we need to be more clinical. We should have finished the game off earlier.

"We needed to have a good result and a good feeling after today because we were low after the Everton game.

"We are in the hat and that's what we wanted. We want to challenge and we want to go to the final. That's what we're here at Man United for."

Amad Diallo was named on the United bench for the first time since the 18-year-old's January move from Atalanta as Solskjaer made six changes.

Lukasz Fabianski prevented United from taking the lead in the 27th minute when he brilliantly pushed Victor Lindelof's header onto the post.

There was a nasty clash of heads between West Ham's Issa Diop and United's Anthony Martial towards the end of the first half.

Both continued after treatment but Diop did not return in the second half due to concussion.

"To clarify, Issa Diop was replaced as a concussion substitute, meaning we can now make a total of six changes, as can Manchester United, if we see fit," West Ham said in a statement.

Fabianski saved well from Marcus Rashford before the game went into extra-time.

McTominay finally made the breakthrough in the 97th minute.

Martial's cross was only half-cleared and Rashford's deft touch teed up McTominay to steer a composed strike past Fabianski from just inside the area.