An entertaining FA Cup Semi-Final was decided dramatically in stoppage time when Anthony Martial scored the goal that sets up an FA Cup Final with Watford or Crystal Palace.
Earlier, what eventually turned into a highly competitive game had looked so easy. Although United had to survive a couple of early scares when Lukaku broke through - thwarted first by a superb goal line clearance from Rooney and second by his own poor touch - they took the game to Everton in the first half and played with the kind of pace and creativity that's been all too absent for much of this season. Rooney, excelling again in a deep role, was orchestrating play while Rashford and, in particular, Martial were running Everton's defenders ragged at times.
Everton might have felt they'd done enough to weather this early pressure when United took the lead. Martial got to the line and cut back for Fellaini, whose finish was scruffy but effective. The big Belgian also benefited from the Everton defence's inability to get tight on him in the area, another feature of a first half that the Reds dominated.
The only regret at half-time was that the Reds hadn't capitalised on that dominance to build a bigger lead. That regret began to loom larger as a very different Everton emerged at half-time and a second half good enough to grace any FA Cup semi-final ensued.
It was a harsh decision that sparked it off. Fosu-Mensah was judged to have brought down Barkley when it was clear the young Dutchman had got the ball. David De Gea, characteristically, simply saw that as his cue to get involved in the game: the keeper threw himself to his right to save Lukaku's spot kick for his umpteenth crucial save this season.
United were denied a more clear-cut penalty decision when Fellaini had his tap-in intercepted by Jagielka's arm. Had the referee seen it, he would certainly have had to sent the defender off also. The failure to give it looked like it might have serious consequences when substitute Deulofeu's cross into the box was deflected into his own goal by Smalling.
From there it could, in truth, have gone either way. Martial's cross was inches away from finding Lingard's foot in the Everton area and De Gea once again saved superbly, managing also to steer the ball out of the path of the advancing Lukaku. Fellaini then got back to produce the best tackle of the game and deny Everton what looked a likely winner.
Extra time looked a certainty when substitute Herrara's ball set Martial away through the middle and the Frenchman, who'd been his usual class act throughout the encounter, calmly stroked the ball past Joel to ensure that this hugely frustrating season will at least end with a trip back to Wembley and the FA Cup Final.
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