Manchester United’s dismal season hit a new low as the FA Cup holders crashed out after a 4-3 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 United, who have only the Europa League left as a silverware chance.
It has been another testing week at Old Trafford, with 200 job cuts announced and United struggling to draw with Everton and barely beat lowly Ipswich.
Amorim admitted that life is “hard” just now for United and this was the latest hammer blow to the under-fire Portuguese coach, who only arrived in November to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.
United head to Real Sociedad for the Europa League last 16 first leg on Thursday before hosting Arsenal in the Premier League.
It didn’t take long for Amorim to realise United were in for another dispiriting afternoon.
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.
Eriksen’s curler was fisted away by Leno, but that did little to satisfy fans frustrated by years of underachievement.
– United woe –
Manchester United’s Dutch striker #11 Joshua Zirkzee is consoled by Manchester United’s Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim after missing the final penalty in the penalty shoot-out in the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on March 2, 2025. Fulham won the game 4-3 on penalties after finishing 1-1 after extra time. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)
Abusive chants directed at United owners the Glazer family and Jim Ratcliffe were audible in the first half, while banners criticising ticket price increases were displayed in the stands.
Fulham threatened for the first time when Sasa Lukic headed over from Alex Iwobi’s cross.
It was a warning United failed to heed as 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 quicker than Noussair Mazraoui to head home from six yards.
Amorim left Alejandro Garnacho on the bench for the first 53 minutes after the Argentine’s petulant response to being substituted against Ipswich.
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The 20-year-old had stormed straight down the tunnel in an incident that Amorim said had been resolved after the winger agreed to buy dinner for his team-mates.
Amorim was forced to turn to Garnacho with United trailing, his introduction sparking a roar from the stands but little improvement from his team.
United keeper Andre Onana had to plunge to his right to stop Emile Smith Rowe increasing Fulham’s lead.
Not for the first time this season, United captain Fernandes papered over the cracks for a while.
Fernandes hauled his side level in the 71st minute, meeting Diogo Dalot’s cross with a superb low finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Yet, although United had come from behind to beat Ipswich and draw with Everton, there would be no escape act this time.
Onana denied Smith Rowe in stoppage-time, setting up a scrappy extra-time period featuring few chances until Chido Obi nearly squeezed his shot past Leno.
Ryan Sessegnon went close with a powerful effort that Onana pushed away, but United’s fate was finally sealed in a nerve-wracking shoot-out.
