Fulham Aims For FA Cup Revenge Against Manchester United After Previous Defeats

Add as a preferred source on Google

Manchester United's current Premier League season has been one of their worst, with Ruben Amorim unable to spark a turnaround. Despite this, they managed a 3-2 win against Ipswich Town midweek, even with ten players. Their FA Cup history offers hope, as they won it under Erik ten Hag during a poor league run last season. On Sunday, they face Fulham, who are in good form after beating Wolves 2-1.

Fulham's Andreas Pereira is eager to excel in both the league and cup competitions. He expressed his determination on Fulham TV: "It's important to us to stay in the cup as well as pushing high in the league. For me, it's going to be a particularly special game." The Brazilian remembers their last FA Cup clash with United, where they lost 3-1 in the 2022-23 quarter-finals.

United have consistently progressed in their FA Cup encounters against Fulham since a loss in 1908. They have reached the quarter-finals nine times in the last ten seasons. Meanwhile, Fulham aims for their second quarter-final appearance in three years after defeating Leeds United 2-0 at this stage previously. The Opta supercomputer favours United with a 45.3% chance of winning within regular time.

Fulham's past encounters with FA Cup holders have ended in elimination each time. They lost to Newcastle United, West Brom, and Manchester City on previous occasions. Despite these challenges, Fulham is motivated by recent successes and hopes to break this pattern against United.

In their recent match against Ipswich Town, United played over half the game with ten men due to Patrick Dorgu's foul on Omari Hutchinson. Harry Maguire's goal helped them secure victory despite being outnumbered. Amorim acknowledged his team's preference for defending deep rather than controlling possession.

The statistics support Amorim's observations; United has struggled when dominating possession under him. They've won only three out of eleven domestic matches with over 50% possession but performed slightly better when having less possession.

Fulham's Recent Form and Strategy

Fulham approaches this match confidently after winning five of their last six away games across all competitions. Marco Silva demonstrated tactical flexibility by rotating key players against Wolves while still securing victory. This adaptability could prove crucial against United.

In their previous FA Cup meeting with United, Fulham led until Willian's handball resulted in a penalty and subsequent collapse. Silva was sent off for protesting, followed by Aleksandr Mitrovic's dismissal for pushing the referee's arm.

Key Players to Watch

Manchester United - Bruno Fernandes: Fernandes' impact on United is immense; he's been involved in 11 goals across his last 11 FA Cup appearances, scoring seven and assisting four. His contributions were vital when United defeated Fulham previously.

Fulham - Antonee Robinson: Robinson has provided ten Premier League assists this season—four more than any other defender—and ranks highly for open-play chances created and successful crosses among defenders.

As both teams prepare for Sunday's clash, Fulham seeks revenge for past defeats while Manchester United aims to maintain their strong FA Cup record against them. With key players like Fernandes and Robinson poised to make an impact, fans can expect an exciting encounter at Old Trafford.