Manchester United have booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup after a remarkable quarter-final tie against Fulham at Old Trafford.
The first half was rather sombre and Erik ten Hag will have been unhappy with his side’s display and that was extended into the second half when Fulham took a deserved lead.
Not long after, everything would change when Jadon Sancho’s shot was blocked on the goal line. Willian was adjudged to have stopped it with his hand and the former Chelsea and Arsenal star was given his marching orders.
Madness ensued as Aleksandr Mitrovic, who had scored the opening goal, talked his way off the pitch as well and manager Marco Silva also received a red card.
United strolled to victory in the final 20 minutes of the game and after the game, Silva delivered a bizarre post-match interview, claiming Fulham should have been awarded a penalty.
"Up until the red card we were CLEARLY the best team on the pitch!"
Marco Silva gives his honest response to Fulham's meltdown at Old Trafford today… 😳
🎙️ @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/fcaURhBvwa
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 19, 2023
“Let’s talk about all the game and not just about one moment,” Silva told ITV Football, as seen above.
“I think it’s fair enough with our team to talk about the game and not just one moment in the game. Until that moment, until the penalty and the red card, we were clearly the best team on the pitch. Clear.
“We come here to play at Old Trafford, like I said to you before the match, and we were the best team on the pitch, clear. Man United, of course we respect them but clear, we were the best team on the pitch.
“Corner for us and (after) counter-attack and it was a red card. It was a decision that the VAR can take and what is difficult for us to understand is two moments in their box.
“First half, one of them is a clear penalty on Mitrovic. No one checks, no one sees, no one wants to see.”
In truth, you would struggle to argue against the decisions the referee made as the handball on Willian was clear. The root of Mitrovic and Silva’s anger is unknown but ultimately, it cost them the game.
Ten Hag will be delighted to come out of the game on the other side but the Dutchman will be less pleased about the performance, with the majority of the game dominated by Fulham.
