Man Utd vs Fulham: FA Cup Quarter-finals Preview

Published

2 weeks ago

March 19, 2023

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All-Premier League Clash

An all-Premier League affair takes place as Manchester United host Fulham at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. The winner will earn the right to play at Wembley and get one step closer to lifting one of the most prestigious trophies in English football.

Manchester United

Manchester United will be hoping to take another step towards their first domestic trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian manager was able to steer United to the Europa League and EFL Cup semi-finals but is yet to lift a trophy in his three-year tenure. The Red Devils come into the game on the back of a morale-boosting 2-0 win against Manchester City in the Premier League, and they look confident of causing problems for Fulham.

With a deep squad, Solskjaer may opt to rotate some of his players. Edinson Cavani, who was suspended for the Manchester derby, could lead the line for United, while Daniel James and Nemanja Matic could come into the midfield. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Paul Pogba are also in contention to start in what will be an important game for the club.

Fulham

Fulham, meanwhile, will be looking to pull off an upset and book their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2002. The Cottagers have had an inconsistent season in the Premier League but have shown signs of improvement of late, picking up some crucial wins to boost their survival hopes.

Marco Silva’s men are likely to set up in a similar shape that has seen them earn points in recent weeks. The pace and directness of Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro will pose a threat on the break, while Aleksandar Mitrovic could be the target man up front. The midfield duo of Harrison Reed and Mario Lemina will be tasked with breaking down United’s attacks while providing support to their offensive players.

Team News

Both sides have some injury concerns ahead of the game. Manchester United will be without captain Harry Maguire, who suffered an ankle injury in the win against Aston Villa. Eric Bailly or Axel Tuanzebe could partner Victor Lindelof at the heart of the defence. Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, and Phil Jones remain sidelined.

Fulham will be missing the services of Tom Cairney, who is recovering from a long-term knee injury. Marek Rodak, who missed the win against Liverpool due to an injury, remains doubtful. Scott Parker is unlikely to make any significant changes to the side that drew with Crystal Palace in midweek.

Both teams have the firepower to produce a fascinating encounter at Old Trafford. Manchester United will be favourites, but a motivated Fulham side could easily pull off a surprise result. It will be exciting to see which side will come out on top and book their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Credit: https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/man-utd/fa-cup/team-news/team-news-man-utd-vs-fulham-injury-suspension-list-predicted-xis_509264.html

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