Manchester United 1-1 Fulham – Fulham win on penalties
A 4.30pm Sunday afternoon kick-off affords plenty of time to read the newspapers, ranging from the grim foreign coverage to the more comforting sports section.
In the Sunday Times, Martin Samuel fretted about Manchester United's apparent decline and quoted an anonymous manager's verdict on Bruno Fernandes: "He wouldn't get in a good team". Since the Portuguese striker has inflicted quite a lot of harm on Fulham, I would happily have seen him omitted from Sunday's FA Cup-tie. No chance.
Further into the sports section, Alyson Rudd, in a splendidly positive column, hailed, "a top-flight manger putting the FA Cup first. Marco Silva's Fulham deserve to win (the) trophy for that alone." She interpreted his omission of several senior players for the mid-week match at Wolverhampton as an indication of his priorities.
My feeling was that after the woeful show against Crystal Palace, Silva was warning the whole squad that no-one had an automatic right to a starting place.
Ms Rudd did concede that the Whites had a dismaying record against United: "They have beaten them once since 2009 and this season have lost 1-0 twice in the Premier League while being the more accomplished team". It is barely a month since Man U stole away from Craven Cottage with three points from one single effort on target.
By Sunday evening I was coming round to Alyson Rudd's way of thinking. At that point Newcastle and Manchester United had been eliminated from a competition which had already seen off Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Bernd Leno untroubled in first half
Fulham did take quite a while to achieve Sunday's victory over the Cup holders in a match that was anything but a classic. The first 44 minutes were particularly bleak. At the Stretford End, Bernd Leno was untroubled by early attempts from Fernandes and Christian Eriksen.
Timothy Castagne nearly lured Andre Onana and Harry Maguire into a comic misunderstanding, Timothee Robinson skied one opportunity and Sasa Lukic wasted an open goal provided by Alex Iwobi. Mostly it was a dull, error-strewn contest.
At least Fulham were forcing corners and from one of these Calvin Bassey headed Fulham into the lead just before the interval. Rodrigo Muniz had nodded the ball to him from Andreas Pereira's corner kick. The goal vindicated Silva's team selection. Muniz and Pereira had been given their chance to shine at Wolverhampton and Bassey was one of the players rested that evening.
When play resumed United still groped for inspiration. Fulham looked likely to increase the lead and Emile Smith Rowe, substituting for the injured Adama Traore, almost overcame the athletic Onana with a low drive. In the 68th minute Ruben Amorin lifted supporters' spirits by sending on Casemiro and Chido Obi.
Pereira's error allowed the ball to reach Diogo Dalot on the left. He passed to Fernandes just inside the penalty area and the captain evaded two defenders to score. A mediocre match had produced two classy goals.
Onana again defied Smith Rowe, and Obi and Alejandro Garnacho fluffed their dreams of becoming Cup heroes. In extra time although Smith Rowe and late entrant Ryan Sessegnon came close and Leno was busier than previously. The referee Stuart Attwell can hardly have anticipated such a stress-free match.
Unexciting extra-time
If we are to be denied cup replays then the logical next step is to abolish extra time, for it can favour the home side and also create tedious half hours like this. The demand for a change is growing.
Admittedly the additional half hour did offer substitutes Raul Jimenez and Willian a chance to warm up.
Together with Sander Berge they confidently despatched Fulham's first three penalties. With the scores level Victor Lindelof tried a low shot to Leno's right, which the keeper anticipated; advantage Fuham. Antonee Robinson, not noted for his accuracy, displayed the utmost calm as he put the visitors ahead. United's fourth participant Joshua Zirkzee turned out to be the last.
Zirkzee had been responsible for the first of our 1-0 defeats. On this occasion he gambled on Leno diving once again to the right but the German keeper outthought him and effected another save.
The BBC had prematurely named Bruno Fernandes as Man of the Match but the day's real hero now lay buried under a pyramid of ecstatic team mates.
Fulham's next opponents in the League are Brighton & Hove Albion. Could this be a rehearsal for the Cup Final?
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
