Positives and Negatives: Manchester United 1-1 Fulham AET (3-4 on penalties)

Jack Stroudley looks back at a historic FA Cup victory at Old Trafford.

Football eh? What a beautiful beautiful thing. Fulham have added another classic into what is becoming a showreel season with a penalty shootout win at Old Trafford to secure a spot in the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Finals. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one fearing it was going to be one of those days against Manchester United again. Fulham dug in though and came out victors in an agonisingly nervy game, strap in and drink it in.

Positives

Super Bernd Leno

I mean there’s really only one place to start isn’t there, Bernd bloody Leno, what a bloke. We’ve reached a point in the FA Cup where rotation isn’t an option and Steven Benda has understandably bowed out for his fellow German counterpart who kept Fulham in it on multiple occasions during a relatively turgid affair. Eight saves, five of which inside the box ensured that we went to spot-kicks. The former German international then stepped up stopping back-to-back penalties from Victor Linedolf and Joshua Zirkzee to put Fulham within one game of Wembley for the third successive season. In a game without much to shout about, Leno stepped up when it mattered most.

Achilles Heel healed

When Bruno Fernandes equalised I let out an audible sigh with my head in my hands, succumb to the inevitability it was going to happen again, oh how wrong I was. Manchester United were once again astonishingly poor offering little to nothing during large portions of the game, and like the two games that preceded Sunday it felt like we were going to gift them a win once again. We weren’t particularly great but honestly, who cares right now? Fulham have trumped Manchester United once again and given our lack of luck earlier this season, we deserve to get the rub of the green and progress to the next round!

Sensational C-Bass

Another standout player for me on Sunday was Nigerian international Calvin Bassey who was an absolute monster at the back. Eleven clearances, 85/90 accurate passes as well as three interceptions and a tackle demonstrated the game he had at Old Trafford. Add in his goal to take us into the break ahead and it was a perfect performance from Bassey. Joachim Andersen was also brilliant on Sunday but for me, Calvin Bassey was the best outfield player on the pitch.

Que Sera Sera?

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Crystal Palace are a very good side. They showed recently just how strong they can be (particularly on the road) so we’re going to have to be bang up for it. That being said, I’m more than happy with this as a draw, a home tie against a side we’ve already beaten this season – it could be a lot worse. We need to pack the cottage out and get behind them later this month, with the cup being so open this feels like a mammoth of an opportunity, seize it.

Negatives

While it wasn’t a complete performance it feels harsh to sit here criticising after a historic win. Fulham are one game from Wembley, enjoy it, drink it in!