Analysis: Manchester United vs Fulham at 23:30 on March 19

After securing a spot in the Europa League quarterfinals midweek, Manchester United returns to the FA Cup arena to face Fulham at home on March 19.

The Red Devils defeated West Ham to advance to the quarterfinals, while Fulham secured a victory against Leeds United with a 2-0 scoreline.

Let’s delve into the analysis and prediction provided by Sporting News.

Analysis of Manchester United vs Fulham

On paper, Manchester United still has a chance to secure a top-four finish this season. Under the guidance of manager Erik ten Hag, they currently sit third in the Premier League standings, trailing table-toppers Arsenal by 16 points with one game in hand.

They also recently progressed to the Europa League quarterfinals after defeating Real Betis with an aggregate score of 5-1. With his goal against Betis, key forward Marcus Rashford has now scored 27 goals across all competitions for Manchester United this season.

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On the other hand, consecutive losses to Arsenal and Brentford have dealt a blow to Fulham’s hopes of breaking into the top seven. The Cottagers currently sit ninth in the table, three points behind the European qualification spots but having played two more matches.

This is Fulham’s first appearance in the FA Cup quarterfinals since their defeat to Tottenham in the 2009/2010 season’s round of 16. However, they have not progressed further since reaching the semifinals in the 2001/2002 season, where they were defeated by Chelsea.

Considering all competitions, Manchester United has extended their unbeaten streak against Fulham to 15 matches, with a 2-1 victory in the Premier League last November. The Red Devils have also won all of their last 8 FA Cup matches against The Whites, and it’s likely that their winning streak will continue given the current form of both teams.

In terms of squad strength, Manchester United will be without Casemiro due to suspension and Donny van de Beek, Christian Eriksen, Garnacho, and Anthony Martial due to injuries. Antony is also doubtful after missing the Europa League second leg against Real Betis due to illness.

For Fulham, manager Marco Silva’s side will be without the services of Neeskens Kebano, Tom Cairney, and Layvin Kurzawa. Willian is also uncertain to feature after missing the defeat against his former club Arsenal.

Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Fulham

Expert Predictions

Various newspapers and websites have also made predictions for this fixture:

GiveMeSport: Manchester United 2-1 Fulham

Sport Mole: Manchester United 2-0 Fulham

Match Information

Time: 23:30 on March 19

Venue: Old Trafford

Referee: Christopher Kavanagh

Previous Encounter: Fulham 1-2 Manchester United