✍️ A brief summary of the match.
The game was only going in one direction for the first 70 minutes. United could not get going and allowed Fulham to dominate on set pieces - one of those led to Mitrovic's opener.
However, the 71st minute saw a dramatic turnaround which resulted in two Fulham players getting sent off: Willian for handling the ball to save Sancho's shot on the goal line, and Mitrovic for pushing the referee. Their coach Marco Silva was also dismissed.
Bruno converted the penalty to equalise in the 75th minute. Two minutes later, Sabitzer gave United an unlikely lead with a sumptuous finish.
This way, United booked a place in the FA Cup semi-finals, even though their performance was far, far from perfect.
🏁 Full time! United are through to the FA Cup semi-finals!
⚽ 96' GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAL! Bruno settles it!
bosnian_red, RedCafe: "Bruno wraps up a horrible performance from him with 2 goals, heritage"
⌚ 88' Antony so close! What a drive and what a goal that would've been.
🔄️ 83' Fred on for Rashford.
⚽ 77' GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL! Sabitzer flicks it in!!!
Raewls, Reddit: "Jesus what a collapse from Fulham. Love the goal and the celebration from Sabitzer. A proper United player that we need to sign in the summer. Get Pellistri on and start killing the game."
UnitedMuppetiers, Twitter: "Hahahahaha Sabitzer scores and just like that one of our worst performances looks like a win."
Walters_19_MuFc, RedCafe: "That ball by Sancho, though. Two big moments that have hopefully won us the game."
⚽ 75' GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAL! Fernandes converts from the spot!
⌚ 73' Mitrovic is sent off too! Fulham have nine players!
RVP_20_ , Reddit: "You know what Sancho. I thank you for taking your sweet time shooting the ball. We got two reds out of it lmao"
⌚ 72' Penalty for United! Willian is sent off. So is Fulham head coach Marco Silva who chucked a water bottle.
⌚ 70' Sancho denied by Willian on the goalline! Handball?
ya111101, Reddit: "why did you have to set yourself there. Just shoot, it doesn’t have to be perfect at all"
⌚ 66' De Gea with a brilliant save on Mitrovic again. United struggling on corners.
IWanBoojaa, Reddit: "Love Wout but Mitro has won more headers in this game than Wout has since joining"
⌚ 64' The sub was ambitious but it has not got United going yet.
PosterOfQuality, Reddit: "Still feels like it's 0-0 with the way we're playing. Strong lack of urgency"
SirAnderson, RedCafe: "Not seeing us scoring bar a moment of individual brilliance. The team to disjointed to put together a team goal. Would take 2 OG, I'm not picky."
🔄️ 59' Antony on for McTominay. Fernandes drops deeper.
shrewdy, Reddit: "Scott has been so poor that he deserves to come off, but we have so little depth in that area. This is a pretty attacking sub, maybe that's what's needed though."
⚽ 51' Goal by Mitrovic. Been coming.
ZGSS_1, Reddit: "That’s been coming since minute 1. We’ve been absolutely dogs**t. F**k knows what was said at half time cos we’ve picked up right where we left off - pathetic."
The United Link, Twitter: "We haven't turned up so far. Need to wake up now."
Gfooty, RedCafe: "I don't know what ETH was thinking playing this 11 and after 45 dreadful minutes, not making changes. This is well deserved"
⌚ 49' And now, De Gea brilliantly denies Willian.
skinsaremylife, Reddit: "2023 and we are letting Willian run the show from outside the box lmao what the f**k"
⌚ 48' Big save from De Gea on Robinson.
Stretford Paddock, Twitter: "Got away with that. Second half starts much like the first half did. Not good enough"
⌚ 46' Back underway. No changes after the break.
📊 At least, this man can't be faulted.
✍️ A brief summary of the game so far.
From the very start, United could not get going. They have struggled to move the ball forwards, with a lack of options in midfield evident in the absence of Casemiro and Fred.
Upfront, Bruno's passing left much to be desired, while Sancho has been anonymous on the right. Rashford has provided some edge on the counter but has rarely been supported by teammates.
At least, United are solid defensively - even though Maguire is already on a yellow card for a foul on Mitrovic.
Overall, though, this was quite a slow and laboured performance from United who lacked intensity across the pitch. Fortunately, Fulham could not take advantage of it yet.
⏸️ HT. Goalless at Old Trafford.
⌚ 40' Martinez with a monster tackle on Mitrovic.
Superunknown, RedCafe: "Win the ball thanks to an amazing tackle. Pass. Pass. Kick the ball right back to their defenders/keeper."
⌚ 37' A good Bruno cross from the right almost finds Shaw at the back post. Headed off for a corner.
⌚ 31' Half an hour on, Man United's main issue today is clear.
constantly_late, Reddit: "Knowing that Case is everything to this squad and seeing it without him are two very different things. Got the structure of tissue paper so far."
Samuel Luckhurst, Twitter: "#mufc were always going to miss Casemiro but are also missing Fred so far. Second week running they're losing the midfield battle. McTominay and Sabitzer haven't got going while Palhinha has been very good so far."
⌚ 26' Mitrovic tries to win a penalty. Fell down a bit too theatrically, though.
epic_weasel, Reddit: "Fulham playing like a Spanish side, diving at every opportunity and then biting our players' heels and getting an extra shove in every chance they get. Ref needs to shut that s*** down before it bubbles over"
⌚ 21' Maguire books for bringing down Mitrovic. Will miss the semifinal if United qualify.
Prodigy24, RedCafe: "That was terrible by Maguire. Shit defending, and getting booked already."
UnitedReds, Twitter: "Stupid yellow from Maguire. He wasn't going anywhere?!"
⌚ 19' As expected, it's a tough game. Fulham had a few attempts but no clear-cut chances.
aldidot, Reddit: "We might genuinely drop all the games Casemiro's suspended for. Can't keep playing McTominay there. Surely Licha in the DM position is worth a shot with his passing range"
Trey, Twitter: "Can’t lie we need this International break"
⌚ 13' A promising break from United, but Weghorst rolls the ball into Leno's hands.
thesmallprint13, Reddit: "Watching Weghorst sometimes makes me really question who hit that ice-cold finish at the death versus Argentina in the WC"
⌚ 9' Bruno got elbowed by Willian. Not the strongest hit, but Bruno is on the ground receiving treatment.
woody1878, Reddit: "A bit dirty from Willian there. He knew exactly what he was doing."
Wing Attack Plan R, RedCafe: "Willian elbowed him basically in the kidney, hurts like a mofo."
⌚ 7' United on the ball, but looks very slow.
Yorkeontop, RedCafe: "Maybe I have a selective memory, but our players never seem to genuinely offer a teammate options by running off the ball."
apmartin1991, Reddit: "Excellent start from Fulham. McTominay continues to put himself into positions where he's unavailable for a pass."
⌚ 5' Fair play.
⌚ 3' Fulham start attacking. De Gea tips Diop's header over the bar.
Cold-Veterinarian-85, Reddit: "Land of the giants in our penalty box for those set pieces. That's a big danger today"
⌚ 1' Underway! Come on United!
⚡ United to play Brighton in the semifinal if they win today. Man City will play Sheffield United.
🗣️ Ten Hag speaking out on missing Casemiro through suspension.
"We have already played a lot of games without Casemiro. And we can fill it in a different way. No player is the same, so we put in a different shape. But I have trust and I have confidence that it will work."
👉 In case you missed it, here are the starting lineups.
Man United XI: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw, McTominay, Sabitzer, Sancho, Fernandes, Rashford, Weghorst
Fulham XI: Leno, Tete, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Palhinha, Reed, Andreas, De Cordova-Reid, Mitrovic, Willian
👋 Hello and welcome back to Old Trafford! Today, Man United are facing Fulham in an attempt to book a place in the FA Cup semifinal.
Erik ten Hag has not been unable to name his strongest team: Raphael Varane is not even in the squad today due to an injury. He is expected to be back after the international break, though.
