It’s an FA Cup weekend with quarter-final places at stake with Man United v Fulham on Sunday deciding one of the final eight teams vying for Wembley glory.
United’s season has seen more downs than up, but some silverware could set new manager Ruben Amorim on the right track, while Fulham have earned plaudits for their sexy football and are eyeing a European adventure next season under the always suave Marco Silva – could they pick up a trophy too? Win at Old Trafford and they are three games away from glory.
Peter Crouch weighs up their chances as they head north this weekend – and remember, Paddy’s Super Sub offer means your FA Cup bet rolls on even if your player selection gets taken off early…
Man United V Fulham Bet Builder
Fulham to qualify
Raul Jimenez to have 2+ shots
Bruno Fernandes to have 1+ shots on target
Sasa Lukic to commit 2+ fouls
A bet builder with these selections pays at approximately 5/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP
WHEN: Sunday, March 2, 4:30pm
WHERE: Old Trafford, Manchester
TV: BBC 1
It felt like Man United got out of jail again with their result against Ipswich in midweek, similar to the Everton game on the weekend.
I was on TNT for the City v Spurs game, but I saw Patrick Dorgu giving away a goal and getting sent off, then Alejandro Garnacho getting subbed off and going down the tunnel.
He’s a young player and there’s a new manager that you’ve got to respect and you wonder how is that happening? It doesn’t bode well.
And how many times have we talked about body language at Man United?
Bruno Fernandes is one of the best midfielders in the league. If you put him in City or Liverpool’s side I think he’d fit right in and, as a player, you cannot have a go at him – there are not many players at United who’ve performed the way he has over the last four or five years.
But sometimes, his body language is poor too. As a captain, you look at and the way he carries on at times, arguing, throwing his arms in the air, and you really wouldn’t be sure about it.
The noises coming out of the club with the ownership and lots of the ex-players going to town on the current team too, it’s really quite toxic and has been for a while.
They’ve masked it by winning the odd trophy, but we’re seeing what’s really happening now. The club is not in a good state at all.
I’ve been at clubs when they’re going down and things aren’t going well and there are people working there who have been there 30, 40, 50 years. Players come and go, but the staff are there much longer, and when some of them end up losing their jobs, that’s down to the players and management of the footballing side.
It can be hard to look people in the eye and I always found it difficult if we were losing games – you’d feel like people were looking at you thinking “this is my life here”. You feel responsible for it.
It definitely filters down to the players and it’s really concerning.
A run in the FA Cup would be important for them with the league form so poor, and we’ve seen it the past with Man United managers that the FA Cup can play a big role in turning their seasons around.
Fulham, though, are having a really good season and I fancy them on Sunday.
I’ve always talked up the manager, Marco Silva – he’s first class and is proving it now.
They had another good win away a Wolves in the week, who have been playing well, and have been a real breath of fresh air this season in the top half of the table.
When you look through the team you see that the manager is helping to reignite careers too. Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, Alex Iwobi, players who have been in and out at other clubs, he’s managed to turn them around.
You look at the squad and ask “is that a Champions League team?” and you’d say no, but they are four points off Chelsea in fifth and that could be good enough to get into it next season. They really are playing so well.
Fulham to Qualify
And I have to take them to go through here. I know they’ve lost both games to United in the league this season, but Old Trafford’s not the place it used to be and they can definitely go and get a result on Sunday.
Even being at home can make players nervous when things aren’t going well and passes start going astray.
I said Fulham would win outright on my podcast this week, but for a Bet Builder I’ll take them To Qualify just in case it goes to extra-time or penalties.
Raul Jimenez to have 2+ shots
Fulham have a few attacking threats in the likes of Traore – no full-back wants to face up against him when he’s on form – Iwobi, Muniz, but Raul Jimenez is their likeliest scorer and I’ll go for him to have at least two shots at goal.
Bruno Fernandes to have 1+ shots on target
Fernandes remains the danger man for United and has made a big contribution to their recent results. He seems their most likely scorer and a shot on target seems a reasonable shout.
Sasa Lukic to commit 2+ fouls
Sasa Lukic is consistently in the thick of it in midfield for Fulham. He has the most cards this season for them and most fouls by some distance so looks a good bet to have at least two more against United.
Peter Crouch’s Man United v Fulham Bet Builder
Fulham to qualify
Raul Jimenez to have 2+ shots
Bruno Fernandes to have 1+ shots on target
Sasa Lukic to commit 2+ fouls
A bet builder with these selections pays at approximately 5/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK OR TAP HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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