Manchester United face Fulham today in a FA Cup fifth round tie at Old Trafford.
United and Fulham have faced each other numerous times over the years, with United traditionally holding the upper hand. The two clubs have met 93 times in official competitions. Manchester United has emerged victorious in 58 of these encounters, Fulham has won 15 times, and 20 matches have ended in draws. United required late winners to squeeze wins out of Fulham in both of their league games last season; however, Fulham won at Old Trafford which a last minute winner last season.
Historical Overview
The first recorded meeting between the two sides dates back to the early 20th century. Over the decades, Manchester United established dominance, especially in home fixtures at Old Trafford. Fulham have often seen as underdogs, have occasionally sprung surprises, but such instances have been relatively rare. The London side are currently in ninth place in the Premier League – five places and nine points above United.
Recent Notable Matches
1. FA Cup Quarter-Final, March 19, 2023: This match is etched in the memories of many due to its dramatic turn of events. Fulham was leading 1-0 at Old Trafford, poised to secure a historic victory. However, chaos ensued when Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrović was sent off for pushing the referee, Chris Kavanagh, following a handball decision against teammate Willian. Manager Marco Silva was also dismissed in the aftermath. With Fulham reduced to nine men, Manchester United capitalized, scoring three goals to win 3-1 and advance to the semi-finals.
2. Premier League, October 25, 2003: Fulham secured a memorable 3-1 victory at Old Trafford, marking one of their rare triumphs on Manchester United’s home turf. This win was significant as it highlighted Fulham’s potential to challenge top-tier teams, even in away matches. It was Fulham’s first victory at Old Trafford since 1964.
3. Premier League, February 24, 2007 : Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo scored the goals, Ronaldo’s coming very late on, to give United a crucial win as they attempted to win the league for the first time in four years.
Team news
Altay Bayindir, Toby Collyer and Tom Heaton are said to still be injured, while Amad Diallo, Jonny Evans, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez all have long-term injuries and will miss out.
Shared History
There are some notable players to have played for both clubs. United signed Louis Saha, Edwin van der Sar and Chris Smalling from Fulham, whilst Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Tunnicliffe and Andy Cole are just three players to have played for United first before going to Fulham. Going further back, the legendary George Best is arguably the greatest player to have worn the shirt of either club.
The match kicks off at 4.30pm and airs in the UK on ITV.