Manchester United’s troubled season took another hit as they were eliminated from the FA Cup following a 4-3 defeat in a penalty shootout against Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday.
United, the defending FA Cup champions, struggled at Old Trafford and found themselves behind when Calvin Bassey scored for Fulham just before halftime. Bruno Fernandes later equalized in the second half, forcing extra time, but neither team could break the deadlock.
The match was ultimately decided by penalties, where Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno played a crucial role, saving spot-kicks from Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee. Meanwhile, Fulham successfully converted all four of their penalties, securing their place in the next round.
United fans expressed their frustration as the team was booed off at halftime, with their performance reflecting a season full of struggles.
Currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, United had previously made it to the FA Cup final for the last two seasons, winning the trophy last year against Manchester City.
However, this time, their journey ended much earlier, leaving them with only the Europa League as their remaining shot at silverware.
Adding to the turmoil, the club recently announced 200 job cuts, and recent results have been far from convincing. A lackluster draw against Everton and a narrow victory over Ipswich had already put pressure on manager Ruben Amorim, who took over in November following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal. After the loss to Fulham, Amorim acknowledged that the situation at United remains “hard” as he faces growing scrutiny.
United’s struggles were evident from the start. Rasmus Hojlund missed an early chance, sending his shot over the bar after a cross from Christian Eriksen. The Danish midfielder later tested Leno with a curling shot, but the Fulham goalkeeper was up to the challenge.
Fulham, despite being underdogs, capitalized on United’s defensive weaknesses. Sasa Lukic had already threatened with a header before Bassey broke the deadlock. The goal came from a well-delivered corner by Andreas Pereira, which Rodrigo Muniz flicked on. Bassey reacted quickest, heading the ball past Andre Onana from close range.
Amorim opted to leave Alejandro Garnacho on the bench until the 53rd minute, following the Argentine winger’s controversial reaction to being substituted against Ipswich. Garnacho had reportedly stormed down the tunnel in frustration, later making amends by agreeing to buy dinner for his teammates. His introduction against Fulham was met with excitement from the crowd, but it did little to change United’s fortunes.
Fulham nearly extended their lead when Emile Smith Rowe forced a save from Onana. However, Fernandes gave United hope in the 71st minute, finishing off a Diogo Dalot cross with a precise low shot into the corner of the net. Despite this, United could not complete another comeback as they had done in recent games.
In stoppage time, Onana denied Smith Rowe once again, leading to extra time, which saw few clear chances. Chido Obi came close to scoring for Fulham, while Ryan Sessegnon’s powerful strike was kept out by Onana.
Ultimately, the match went to penalties, where Leno’s heroics secured Fulham’s victory. With this defeat, United now turn their focus to the Europa League, where they will face Real Sociedad in the last 16 on Thursday before taking on Arsenal in the Premier League.
