I saved Sir Alex Ferguson's job at Manchester United – now I might cost Erik ten Hag his

Mark Robins will forever have a place in Manchester United folklore.

Sir Alex Ferguson, so the legend goes, has a lot to thank Robins for. It was his goal against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the 1990 FA Cup that supposedly saved Ferguson's job. At the time, it was widely believed the United manager was one game away from the sack after a stuttering first four years in charge, after taking over in 1986.

But Robins intervened, the United academy graduate netting a header from a Mark Hughes cross in a 1-0 win over Forest. United went on to lift the 1990 FA Cup – with Robins also scoring in the semi-final win over Oldham – to claim the first silverware of the Ferguson era. It proved to be the first of many.

"It was my breakthrough season, to score a goal in the FA Cup third round is something you do look back on with fondness," said Robins, looking back.

"Anybody scoring in the FA Cup is special. I thought this was normal, this is great, winning the FA Cup was the last time I played in a final. That is a slight regret."

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Robins – who has been Coventry manager since 2017 – could now be the man to deny a United manager via the FA Cup, potentially playing a major role in defining their future, with Erik ten Hag's job on the line.

If United crash out to Robins' Coventry side in the semi-final at Wembley, Ten Hag's job prospects will not look great. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are considering the Dutchman's future in any case, so he needs a strong finish to what's been a disappointing season.

Not that sentiment will come into it for Robins, who led the Sky Blues to a memorable 3-2 victory at Premier League side Wolves in the quarter-finals to earn the plum last four tie.

"To draw United is certainly special," Robins told BBC local radio after the semi-final ties were revealed. "But to draw any one of those teams would have been special.

"I was there as a kid and came through there at United. But my loyalties are certainly now with Coventry City.

"It's at Wembley. It's a brilliant occasion. We've got to come up with a plan that's going to give us an opportunity to compete in the game and see where it takes us."