FA Cup 2022-23

At the quarter final stage anything may happen but depending on the draw for the semis I hope we see a Man C v Man U final or they both get knocked out before the final. One of them against any of the others and it will be very one sided final. Would be great to see any of the others compete in the final.

UTG!

The FA Cup Quarter-Final Fixtures..

Sunday 19th March 2023


Sheffield United v Blackburn Rovers - 12pm

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Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has said he considers the FA Cup to be the biggest cup competition in the world and his players can dream of Wembley.

Rovers travel to Sheffield United in their quarter-final on Sunday.

Blackburn are looking to reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time in 16 years.

"It's an opportunity for every player to be part of the new history of the club. It's something we need to chase," he told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"There will be only one team winning the FA Cup at the end but we can dream of Wembley. Just saying the word Wembley says it all about the passion and this great competition. I'm hopeful of going there.

"The FA Cup is the biggest cup in the world in my opinion. We haven't been this far for a while so it has been an excellent run and we're enjoying it.

Blades forward Daniel Jebbison is a doubt after their win at Sunderland on Wednesday but boss Paul Heckingbottom is confident midfielder James McAtee will be fit after going off with cramp in that game.

Heckingbottom's side are second in the Championship and six points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough as they look to return to the Premier League after two years away.

This is their third FA Cup quarter-final in four years but they are looking to reach the semi-finals for first time since doing so as a League One team in 2013-14, where they lost 5-2 to Hull City.

"This week could be one of the biggest in the season, potentially one of the biggest for some of the players in their careers and maybe one of the biggest in the club's history," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"There's not many times you get the opportunity to go to Wembley as a player or as a fan. It would be a reward for the fans, for their support. We know what is at stake.

"The FA Cup is huge and this season seems to have been a good one and we've been involved in a couple of different occasions and stories so it would be nice to have another one."

He added: "They'll approach the game the same way as us, what have they got to lose?"

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Brighton & Hove Albion v Grimsby Town - 2.15pm

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Brighton & Hove Albion will provide as tough a test as any of their higher-profile Premier League counterparts in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final, says Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst.

About 5,000 fans will follow the League Two side to the south coast, to take on a side 76 places above them.

Albion, in seventh, have lost just one of their past 12 games.

"They might not have the worldwide name of a Man United, Liverpool or Man City," Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside.

"But in terms of how they're playing, they're a fantastic team and when [Pep - Manchester City boss] Guardiola mentions the style of play and manager, you know it's something to behold."

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The Mariners reached the last eight of the world's oldest domestic football cup competition by winning at Southampton, another Premier League outfit in that part of the world - and also dumped out Plymouth, Cambridge, Burton and Luton en route.

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Manchester United v Fulham - 4.30pm

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Erik ten Hag says his Manchester United players must use their Carabao Cup success as "fuel" as they aim to reach the FA Cup semi-finals against Fulham.

United, third in the Premier League, won their first trophy since 2017 at Wembley last month and are also through to the last eight of the Europa League.

"We enjoyed winning a trophy and it has to be the fuel for the next one," said Ten Hag, who was appointed last summer.

"We must be pushed by that and that has to bring extra energy to beat Fulham."

He added: "We have to set a winning culture. We are Manchester United, we have to win all the games, we have to compete in all the leagues. That is the mentality."

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Meanwhile, Marco Silva's Fulham have enjoyed a positive return to the top flight this season, where they are ninth and on course to secure their Premier League safety.

"I'm really pleased with this team and this football club," said Silva.

"I have ambition to do better, we have to make this club keep growing. It's a project that I'm really happy to be involved with. It's my job and my ambition."

He added: "If you want to reach the semi-finals or Wembley, you can't always expect the draw you want.

"For us to be there, we have to play Manchester United. They'll have their fans behind them, so we have to go there with respect and play at our best."

The FA Cup Quarter-Final Result

Sunday 19th March 2023

Manchester United 3 (Bruno Fernandes 75 pen, 90+6, Sabitzer 77) Fulham 1 (Mitrovic 50, sent off 72, Willian sent off 72)

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Manchester United came from a goal down to beat nine-man Fulham and reach the FA Cup semi-finals with a controversial victory at Old Trafford.

Marco Silva's side looked on course for only their second last-four appearance since they lost to West Ham in the 1975 final when their world collapsed around a handball incident 15 minutes from time.

Jadon Sancho seemed to be shooting an equaliser into an empty net, only for Willian to charge across and clear.

Referee Chris Kavanagh initially gave a corner, but VAR advised the official to check the pitchside monitor, with Willian protesting and manager Silva furious.

Silva was red carded before Kavanagh could even reach a decision. Once he did, Willian was dismissed as well. Then Aleksander Mitrovic, who had put Fulham in front, pushed the referee's arm as he angrily remonstrated and became the third visitor to be sent off.

Once order was restored, Bruno Fernandes tucked home the penalty.

In the space of two minutes, Fulham had lost two men, their manager and the lead.

Two minutes later, Marcel Sabitzer turned home Luke Shaw's cross to make it 2-1 to United before Fernandes added an injury-time 3rd to knock Fulham out of the FA Cup.


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Manchester United 3-1 Fulham: Marco Silva appeals for 'fairness' in Aleksandar Mitrovic ban

Fulham boss Marco Silva says Aleksandar Mitrovic should control his emotions, but feels the striker does not deserve a long ban for shoving referee Chris Kavanagh at Old Trafford.

Mitrovic, winger Willian and Silva were all shown the red card in a chaotic couple of minutes that turned a dramatic FA Cup tie with Manchester United on its head.

Fulham were leading 1-0 when Willian handled Jadon Sancho's goal-bound shot on the line with 20 minutes left.

Silva said he was sent off for leaving his technical area as the referee viewed a replay on the pitchside monitor.

However, the Fulham boss admitted he did shout at the official. "I am not going to lie. I didn't say he was a really nice guy and the decision was fair. But he didn't hear me," Silva said.

Willian was dismissed for deliberate handball, prompting a furious response from Fulham goalscorer Mitrovic, who angrily shoved Kavanagh's arm and had to be dragged away from the official twice by club staff and team-mates after he had also been shown a red card.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, said the player should receive a 10-game ban.

"He saw the red mist. That's no excuse. You cannot lay your hand on an official," said Sutton, adding that he felt Bruno Fernandes should have received the same ban for appearing to push an official during United's 7-0 defeat by Liverpool.

"In my opinion, it will impact further down the chain at grassroots level. There will be kids watching the game today who think, well if Mitrovic can do it, so can I."

In his post-match press conference, Silva was asked whether he expected Mitrovic to receive a lengthy ban, such as the 11-match punishment Paolo Di Canio received for shoving referee Paul Alcock in 1998.

"I didn't see in a so, so bad way," said Silva. "He pushed the referee and Mitro should control his emotions. I saw the image and I will speak with him.

"But I hope the people who are going to decide do so with fairness that the moment deserves."

Silva claimed Fulham had been denied two penalties for fouls on Mitrovic earlier in the game.

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The FA Cup Semi-Final Result.

Saturday 22nd April

Manchester City 3 (Mahrez 43 pen, 61, 66) Sheffield United 0

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Riyad Mahrez scored the first hat-trick in an FA Cup semi-final since 1958 as Manchester City kept their quest for the Treble on course by outclassing Sheffield United at Wembley.

The Blades battled gamely throughout and even missed a big early chance when Iliman Ndiaye saw his shot saved by Stefan Ortega but once Mahrez scored his first from the spot two minutes before half-time, City made their class count.

The Algerian opened the scoring after Daniel Jebbison fouled Bernardo Silva, before taking advantage of a wide-open Sheffield United defence to score the second with a solo effort just after the hour.

Mahrez then got his third - the first in a semi-final in this competition since Alex Dawson achieved the feat for Manchester United in 1958 - when he swept Jack Grealish's cross past Wes Foderingham after 66 minutes.

It gave City manager Pep Guardiola the luxury of taking off key men such as Erling Haaland, Grealish, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan in readiness for what is shaping up as a defining Premier League title meeting with current leaders Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

City and Guardiola have had a highly satisfactory week after reaching the Champions League semi-final, setting up an FA Cup final with either Brighton or Manchester United and seeing main rivals Arsenal drop points in the league.

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Manchester City have become the first team to reach the FA Cup final without conceding a single goal since Everton in the 1965-66 season, who went on to beat Sheffield United’s city rivals Sheffield Wednesday in that year’s final (3-2).
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'Honour to be in the FA Cup final'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to ITV: "Excellent performance, we cannot forget three days ago we were in Munich.

"It took a lot to be here, to try it. We suffered in some actions with long balls. In the end with the quality from Riyad [Mahrez] and the rest of the guys we did it.

"The quality of Riyad we have seen for many years in this country, also with Leicester. [He is a] huge mentality competitor. Huge ambition to score goals. Scoring at the end of the first half was so important.

"The question is not to be in this stage of the competition, it is where we came from fighting for many years fighting for the titles. Being there every year means the mentality of the club - not just the players - is there.

"It is an honour to be in the FA Cup final on 3 June. We will be here. Today we played really good, everyone was serious."


'It means a lot to be in final'

Hat-trick hero Riyad Mahrez, speaking to ITV1: "It feels very good [to score a hat-trick]. The most important thing is that two or three seasons in a row we've come here in the semi-finals and lost. Today, we wanted to make sure we got to the final. I think I had a good game.

"I don't know really which goal was the best. It's a good team achievement and we took the game seriously.

"It means a lot to be in final. We really want to work hard in every competition going. We're in the final of the FA Cup which is amazing. Now we have to concentrate on the league and the next game against Arsenal.

"We have a very good squad and a very good team. We have to keep going."

FA Cup final: Manchester United v Manchester City kick-off time will move forward on police advice..

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This season's FA Cup final on 3rd June will revert to a 3pm kick-off for the first time in 12 years.

The match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Wembley was expected to begin between 4.45pm and 5.30pm

But London's Metropolitan Police has categorised the derby match as high risk and objected to the later kick-off times on security grounds.

It is set to be the first time the game has started at 3pm since City beat Stoke in 2011.

The Women's Champions League final would also clash with the FA Cup final with kick-off scheduled for the same time at PSV Eindhoven's stadium in the Netherlands.

The European final could be an all-English affair with Arsenal and Wolfsburg level at 2-2 after their semi-final first leg and Chelsea needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit to progress against Barcelona.

It will be the first FA Cup final between United and City. Last season Liverpool and Chelsea both received ticket allocations in excess of 30,000 for the game.

The match will be broadcast in the UK on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV, ITVX, UTV, STV and STV Player.

The earlier kick-off should make travelling away from London easier for the fans, with the last direct train from the capital to Manchester on 3rd June scheduled to depart at 9.01pm.

The premier Classic horse race, the Derby at Epsom, has also been moved to the earlier start time of 1.30pm instead of 4.30pm to avoid clashing with the Wembley final.

Tuesday's Premier League game between Arsenal and Chelsea was rescheduled at less than three weeks' notice following Met Police objections.

The FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium - Saturday 3rd June 2023.

Manchester City v Manchester United - 3pm - live on BBC 1

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FA Cup final: Double-chasing Man Utd desperate to destroy Man City's Treble dream..

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Whoever lifts the FA Cup on Saturday will have even more to celebrate than usual.

As well as local bragging rights being at stake, Premier League champions Manchester City and League Cup holders Manchester United know the winner of a first major cup final between the two will be celebrating a rare double.

City also have the dream of a Treble, knowing victory against their neighbours would leave them just needing to beat Inter Milan in next Saturday's Champions League final to match a feat achieved by only one other club in English football.

And that team to win a Premier League, FA Cup and European Cup in one season? Yep, Manchester United - and the desire to keep their historic achievement in 1999 to themselves is obvious.

It all makes for some cup final.

'Giving it everything' to stop City's bid for greatness
Pep Guardiola's men are now just two games away from becoming the 10th European side to sweep the board - and it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed among the red half of Manchester.

Even before United's semi-final win against Brighton, former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel - a key member of that 1999 squad - joked: "That is why it is so important that we now beat Brighton, so we can stop them."

Another member of that side, Gary Neville, told Sky Sports: "Man Utd want the opportunity to take away the Treble."

The question about the importance of 'stopping the Treble' was posed to manager Erik ten Hag several times in the immediate aftermath of their semi-final win.

"We will give everything and, when I say everything, it's everything… the fans can rely on that,'' said the Dutchman. "We want to give that against City. We want to go and give the fans that."

For the United fans, you get the feeling that stopping City is almost as important as their own cup double - having already won the Carabao Cup - with songs often sung around Old Trafford about their proud boast of being England's only Treble winners,

United have been in this position before.

In 1977, they faced a Liverpool side who had won the league and had a European Cup final to follow four days after the FA Cup final. United won 2-1 at Wembley to end Liverpool's Treble hopes. They did go on to beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 in Rome.

Liverpool fans will be quick to remind of their two trebles - the European Cup, League Cup and First Division title in 1984 and FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup triumphs in 2001. In 2019 City became the only English men's team to win a domestic treble of league, FA Cup and League Cup.

But, with just four trebles of various make-ups in the history of English men's football, City know they are on the verge of true greatness.

'Man Utd's pre-eminence is under threat'
BBC Sport's Simon Stone: It is almost certain if Manchester United win the FA Cup final, one of the first songs they will sing after the final whistle will be related to the Treble and the fact they have won it and Manchester City have not.

Nearly half a century on, United fans, who are old enough, still look back with pride on 21 May 1977 when they overcame the odds to beat Liverpool at Wembley to ensure the FA Cup was the final piece of silverware to elude them that season.

As City's success and dominance continues and their trophy cabinet gets bigger, United's pre-eminence is under threat.

They remain the only English club to win the Treble and they want to keep it that way.

How hard is a double ?
With all the talk about trebles, it would be easy to forget the 'double' that is also up for grabs for both teams at Wembley on Saturday.

History, though, suggests it is an achievement not to be sniffed at.

In 2019, City became the first side to win the FA Cup and the Premier League in the same season since Chelsea did it in 2009-10 and they are only the eighth club to do so.

Their Carabao Cup triumph over Chelsea in February 2019 meant they became only the fourth club to hold the League Cup and the FA Cup simultaneously - with Liverpool adding their name to that particular roll of honour last season.

The other teams to achieve it are Chelsea (2006-07), Arsenal (1992-93) and Liverpool (2000-01). Manchester United could join that list on Saturday.

And there have been only 10 instances of a side winning the English top flight and League Cup in history.


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FA Cup final rival fans urged to use separate routes to Wembley..

Rival Manchester football fans heading to Wembley for the FA Cup final are being urged to use separate routes and motorway service stations to help minimise disruption.

Transport bosses issued the guidance ahead of Saturday's clash between Manchester City and Manchester United.

Major congestion is feared on a day when another train strike is planned.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said people "may want to consider making a weekend of it in London".

Rail operator Avanti West Coast will be operating a reduced timetable on Friday and no services will run on Saturday due to the industrial action by drivers.

TfGM has advised City supporters to travel via the M62 and M1; M6 and M1; or M6, M6 Toll and M1.

United fans are urged to travel on the M6, M42 and M40, which is a near-identical distance of about 200 miles (320 km).

Particular motorway service stations have also been suggested for each club.

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City fans are asked to use Lymm, Sandbach, Stafford, Norton Canes, Corley, Rugby, Watford Gap, Northampton, Newport Pagnell, Toddington and London Gateway.

The services suggested for United supporters are Knutsford, Keele, Hilton Park, Warwick, Cherwell Valley, Oxford and Beaconsfield.

However, there are no plans to officially enforce the guidance.

The AA said service stations "are likely to be incredibly busy" on Saturday and advised non-football fans to consider taking a break off the motorway network, such as at a local town or village.

A park-and-walk facility will be available at Fryent Country Park near Wembley for drivers while the Football Association has also laid on 120 coaches in addition to those provided by each club.

AA public relations manager Tony Rich said: "The best mode of travel for football fans will be the official coaches and the extra coaches put on by the FA.

"For those who plan to drive themselves to Wembley they are advised to set off early, using alternative routes where possible as most major roads are likely to be busy with coaches carrying supporters to the game."

TfGM has previously warned people travelling to Greater Manchester on Saturday to plan ahead as it prepares for "the busiest day on the transport network so far".

Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay and Sir Elton John all play in the area on Saturday and it will also be the first day of the free We Invented The Weekend festival in Salford.