Man Utd (0) 3-1 (0) Fulham
FA Cup Quarter Final 22/23 at Old Trafford
Sunday 19th March 2023 KO: 16:30
Referee:
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Live on ITV
|
Manchester United are into the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a 3-1 win as Fulham imploded following three quickfire red cards on a dramatic day at Old Trafford.
Marco Silva's side had appeared to be in control of the quarter-final following Aleksandar Mitrovic's goal early in the second half but Willian's handball sparked an astonishing turnaround that saw coach Silva and Mitrovic red carded as well as the Brazilian.
Bruno Fernandes levelled the tie from the penalty spot and Marcel Sabitzer's clever finish from close range completed the reversal of fortunes to leave Fulham's remaining nine men bereft. Fernandes added late gloss to the scoreline with an emphatic finish and it is Erik ten Hag's team that will face Brighton at Wembley next month.
For much of the afternoon, Fulham were the more impressive side, with United's six-month unbeaten run in front of their own fans at risk. It was a deserved lead for the away side when Mitrovic turned the ball into the net from Issa Diop's flick early in the second half.
Without the suspended Casemiro in midfield, United struggled to gain control. It was Joao Palhinha, back in the Fulham midfield following a suspension of his own, who was the dominant figure in the middle of the pitch. And then, the game flipped.
| Match Stats |
Man Utd |
Fulham |
| Goals |
(0) 3 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Fernandes pen 75 |
Mitrovic 50 |
|
Sabitzer 77 |
- |
|
Fernandes 96 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
16 |
12 |
| On target |
10 |
6 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
75% |
60% |
| Possession |
56% |
44% |
| Passes Success |
87% |
81% |
| Corners |
6 |
7 |
| Tackles Success |
56% |
62% |
| Saves |
5 |
6 |
| Fouls |
6 |
10 |
| Offsides |
1 |
1 |
| Yellows |
1 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
2 |
| source: SkySports |
United countered at pace and with Jadon Sancho having rounded Bernd Leno, Willian opted to block the ball near the line with his hand. It was spotted following a VAR review and if there was sympathy for the player there was none for the actions of his team-mate.
Mitrovic aggressively shoved referee Chris Kavanagh and left the official with no option but to send him from the field. Ten players would have been tough. Nine made it impossible and when Fernandes converted his spot-kick the momentum was unstoppable.
Sabitzer still deserves some kudos for the finish that put United in front, however. Luke Shaw's centre was delightfully turned in by the midfielder and Fulham knew it was over. Fernandes' second of the game made it look straightforward. But this was a crazy game.
Silva: We were the best team
"Until the penalty and red card, we were clearly the best team on the pitch," Silva told ITV. "We respect Manchester United but it was clear we were the best team on the pitch."
Asked about the decisions, he added: "What is difficult to understand is why the two moments in their box in the first half where one of them is a clear penalty on Mitrovic - why did no-one check?"
On his own red card, he said: "If you ask me if I did something I am happy with, of course not. But if you ask me if that should be a red card, I have big doubts. I would like to know what the referee is going to write about what I said to him."
Fulham are back in action after the international break with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday April 1, while Manchester United resume their schedule the following day in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Man Utd: de Gea, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, Martínez, Maguire, Sabitzer, Fernandes, Rashford (Fred 83), McTominay (Antony 58), Sancho, Weghorst
Unused substitutes: Pellistri, Mainoo, Butland, Lindelöf, Diogo Dalot, Malacia, Elanga
Goals:
Fernandes 75 pen (converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner)
Sabitzer 77 (right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luke Shaw)
Fernandes 90+6 (right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Fred.)
Booked: Maguire (21,f),
Fulham: Leno, Ream, Tete (Soares 89), Robinson, Diop, De Cordova-Reid (Solomon 89), Reed (James 89), Palhinha, Pereira (Cairney 90), Willian, Mitrovic
Unused substitutes: Vinicius, Tosin, Wilson, Rodak, Lukic
Goals:
Mitrovic 50 (left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Issa Diop following a corner.)
Booked: Pereira (18,f), Robinson (67,f)
Red Carded: Willian (72,hb), Mitrovic (72,dis)
Referee::
Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire)
Attendance: 73,511