‘It’s hard, we had our chances’

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim rues host of missed opportunities after defending champions suffer shock 3-4 shootout defeat to Fulham at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s dismal season hit a new low as the FA Cup holders crashed out after a 3-4 penalty shoot-out defeat against Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday. Ruben Amorim’s side trailed to Calvin Bassey’s first-half opener at Old Trafford before Bruno Fernandes equalised to force a 1-1 draw after extra time. Fulham keeper Bernd Leno was the hero in the shoot-out as he saved from Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee, with the visitors converting all four of their kicks. 

Booed off at half-time, it was another wretched result for United in a season that sees them languishing in 14th place in the Premier League. The 13-time FA Cup winners had reached the final for the last two seasons and beat Manchester City to lift the trophy last year. But there will be no trip to Wembley this season for the Red Devils, who have only the Europa League left to compete for. 

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Ruben Amorim

“It’s hard. We had the best chances in the game but in the end the penalties can go both ways and today it was not our day,” Amorim said. “I know that we are losing games and losing trophies during this season, but the goal is to win the Premier League. I don’t know how long it’s going to take. But if you think like that, we can suffer a little bit in these defeats,” he added. 

It didn’t take long for Amorim to realise United were in for another depressing afternoon at home. Rasmus Hojlund fired over from an acute angle after Christian Eriksen’s cross found the much-maligned United striker, whose goalless drought has now reached 18 games.

Fulham snatched the lead with their first shot on target seconds before half-time. United’s weakness at set-pieces was exposed as Andreas Pereira’s corner was flicked on by Rodrigo Muniz and Bassey reacted the quickest to head home from six yards. United’s skipper Bruno Fernandes then hauled his side level in the 71st minute, meeting Diogo Dalot’s cross with a superb low finish into the far corner. 

With nothing to separate both sides across 120 minutes, the game moved into a penalty shoot-out where Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno denied United’s off-colour striker Zirkzee and defender Lindelof to send the Cottagers into the quarter-finals.

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