أسبوع حاسم لمانشستر يونايتد: بداية مؤلمة في كأس الاتحاد أمام فولهام
Manchester United’s FA Cup Exit: A Setback for Ruben Amorim
MANCHESTER, England — A challenging week for Ruben Amorim began with another setback as Manchester United faced Fulham in the FA Cup fifth round. After a tense 120 minutes that ended in a 1-1 draw, Fulham triumphed 4-3 on penalties, eliminating the holders from the competition. Key misses from Victor Lindelöf and Joshua Zirkzee sealed United’s fate.
The defeat adds pressure to Amorim ahead of their Europa League clash against Real Sociedad. With only one trophy left to chase this season, winning the Europa League is crucial for salvaging what has been a disappointing campaign thus far.
United struggled throughout the match, particularly in front of goal. They have now failed to score from open play in 19 consecutive first halves and conceded first in five straight matches under Amorim’s management—16 times out of his 24 games overall.
Rodrigo Muniz opened the scoring for Fulham with a flick-on assist to Calvin Bassey at the back post, capitalizing on defensive lapses by Manuel Ugarte and Noussair Mazraoui. Despite Bruno Fernandes equalizing with an exquisite finish after Diogo Dalot’s cross, it was not enough as they faltered during penalties.
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was instrumental in their victory, making crucial saves that kept his team level during regular time and denying two penalty attempts from United players.
Amorim acknowledged his team’s struggles but remains focused on improving performance moving forward: “We know we are losing games… The goal is to win the Premier League again.”
With Manchester United languishing at 14th place in the Premier League table and now out of both domestic cup competitions, all eyes will be on their upcoming Europa League match as they seek redemption under Amorim’s leadership.Manchester United’s recent FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham has intensified pressure on manager Ruben Amorim. The match ended in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw, with United’s Joshua Zirkzee missing his spot-kick, leading to their elimination as holders of the trophy.
Amorim acknowledged the disappointment but emphasized that their primary goal remains to reclaim the Premier League title, despite acknowledging the challenges ahead. He noted that while they are struggling to score and have conceded first in five consecutive matches, there is still hope for improvement as they adapt to both their players and league dynamics.
The defeat highlighted ongoing issues within United’s defense, particularly from set pieces. Despite some positive moments in attack—most notably Bruno Fernandes’ equalizing goal—United failed to capitalize on opportunities during regular play and penalties alike. Fulham’s goalkeeper Bernd Leno played a crucial role in denying several attempts from United players during the shootout.
With only one competition left—the Europa League—Amorim faces a critical week ahead against Real Sociedad as he seeks to turn around what has been a challenging start since taking over from Erik ten Hag.
