Manchester United's Ralf Rangnick perplexed over missed handball in loss to Middlesbrough

Ralf Rangnick said Manchester United only had themselves to blame for their FA Cup fourth round exit to Middlesbrough despite arguing the goal they conceded should not have stood.

United lost 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on Friday. Anthony Elanga missed the key penalty in the shootout after Cristiano Ronaldo had missed from the spot in regular time.

— Ogden: Man United's trophy drought continues with no end in sight — ESPN+ viewers' guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more — Notebook: The inside stories from world football

Matt Crooks scored Middlesbrough's disputed equaliser after Duncan Watmore had appeared to handle the ball in the build up, but after Rangnick was just as upset with his team's finishing.

«How can it be accidental [handball] if he controls the ball up in the air with his hand?» Rangnick asked after the match. «It was clear it should not stand, but in the end I was really surprised it stood.

»In the first half we should have easily been 3-0 up and second half we had chances too. We should have won the game in normal time. On penalties it can happen what happened today.

«Incredibly disappointed, we should have won and killed off the game in the first half.»

Elanga, 19, was left to take a penalty in part because of the absence of both Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard from the squad.

Cavani was granted extra time off after playing for Uruguay in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, while Rangnick said Lingard asked for time off to «clear his mind» after a proposed move to Newcastle United on deadline day failed to materialise.

Lingard later posted on social media saying he had been absent from training on the advice of the club but asked again on Friday night, Rangnick appeared to stick