Manchester Utd 1-1 Fulham (3 – 4 on penalties): FA Cup 6th Round

This was not a classic encounter in the great traditions of Manchester Utd v Fulham games but gosh it was exciting.

The game went first to extra time, then penalties and Fulham emerged winners. Although Manchester Utd and their decline was the story, I thought Fulham deserved their win as they had more desire, better movement and more clear cut chances.

However, once Bruno Fernandes equalised with 20 minutes to go, you thought the Reds might just win it.

Fulham had many heroes: Bernd Leno for his two penalty saves, in the shoot-out; Sandor Berge indefatigable in midfield – but I would give my Man Of The Match award to Calvin Bassey, who not only scored the Fulham goal, but was a tower of strength in the heart of the Fulham defence.

In 1958 Fulham played Manchester Utd after the Munich air crash in a semi-final replay.

The Reds did not need the sympathy of the nation – which they had – as Fulham’s keeper Tony Macedo had a nightmare.

In the 1980s The United equaliser came off the backside of Tony Gale and in the 1990s John Salako missed a sitter. Last season Fulham had 3 red-carded – including coach Maro Silva – so the fixture had form.

I cannot recall a worse United team, so they were ripe  for the taking. Who would have predicted that Manchester Utd would be out of all domestic competitions by the beginning of March and that – fifty years after Fulham played in their only Cup Final – they might just return to Wembley!