Manchester United punished five minutes of madness from Fulham to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Old Trafford.

Manchester United punished five minutes of madness from Fulham to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals as they came from behind to win 3-1 at Old Trafford.
Fulham were full value for the lead that Aleksandr Mitrovic gave them five minutes into the second half, but the wheels came off with around 20 minutes left as manager Marco Silva, Willian and Mitrovic were all sent off.
It came after a Fulham corner became a United attack, with substitute Antony racing down the right and squaring for Jadon Sancho. He rounded Bernd Leno but saw his shot blocked on the line by Willian's hand.
Chris Kavanagh signalled for a corner but was sent to the monitor by VAR Neil Swarbrick, and paused to send off Silva for dissent before he had even reached the screen.
The inevitable penalty decision and a red for Willian then came, but Fulham's total loss of discipline was seen as Mitrovic raged at Kavanagh to earn his own early shower.
Bruno Fernandes sent Leno the wrong way from the penalty spot and two minutes later United led as Marcel Sabitzer flicked home Luke Shaw's low cross for his first United goal.
Fernandes then lashed in United's third in stoppage time as nine-man Fulham were overrun.
Twelve-time Cup winners United advance to face Brighton at Wembley while Fulham will count the cost of a day that will surely hurt their push for Europe via the Premier League with suspensions to follow.
It was a dramatic turnaround in a game in which Fulham had been the better team for most of the afternoon.
The absence of the suspended Casemiro and Fred – among the substitutes as Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer started – told, as perhaps did United's relentless schedule across four fronts this season as the hosts laboured against a Fulham side showing plenty of bite with Joao Palhinha back from a ban.
Early pressure saw David De Gea push Issa Diop's looping header over, while Mitrovic wanted a penalty – and United defenders a yellow for diving – when he tangled with Lisandro Martinez in the box.
In between Willian fired narrowly wide and Tim Ream sent in a cross which would have only needed a slight touch to find the net.
United did not come to life until the final 15 minutes of the half after Marcus Rashford switched to the left and Sancho the right, but Leno foiled both Rashford and Sabitzer, while Wout Weghorst's shot was deflected wide by Ream in first-half stoppage time.
The second half saw Fulham retake the initiative. Antonee Robinson's curling shot was tipped over by De Gea, forcing the first of three corners which culminated in Mitrovic firing home after Diop flicked on Andreas Pereira's delivery.
Fernandes fired wide from a Rashford cross before Ten Hag sent on Antony for McTominay, and the Brazilian was key to the Fulham meltdown that followed.
Antony almost added a third as he danced his way towards goal three minutes from time, but although he got around the keeper he was off balance before the ball was whipped away.
But Fernandes added the final flourish in stoppage time, lashing home a powerful strike to send United into the semi-finals for the first time since 2020.

Man Utd book Wembley return as Fulham crumble after Aleksandar Mitrovic meltdown

Tottenham are "urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA" after the club's managing director of football Fabio Paratici’s ban in Italy was extended worldwide.

Tottenham are "urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA" after the club's managing director of football Fabio Paratici’s ban in Italy was extended worldwide.
Paratici is suspended in his home country after his former club Juventus, where he was sporting director and latterly managing director, were found guilty of false accounting.
FIFA's extension of the ban – which was initially 30 months and applicable only to Italian football – means he will have to step down from his role at Tottenham.
A Tottenham statement read: "FIFA has late this afternoon responded to us in writing notifying us that a decision has been made by the FIFA disciplinary committee to extend the FIGC sanction worldwide.
"This committee deliberation has been taken with no advance notice to any of the parties involved. We are urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA as to the details of the extension and its variance from the FIGC sanction.
"We should like to make clear that when Fabio conducted the interview on club channels yesterday neither he nor the club had any indication of this decision being made by FIFA, based on the fact the FIGC sanction was taken on 20 January 2023 and remains subject to an appeal on 19 April 2023."
Having left the Serie A club in May 2021 Paratici joined Spurs the following month and would have been involved in the search for a new manager following Antonio Conte’s departure last week.
FIFA announced they had extended Paratici’s ban "to have worldwide effect" in a statement released earlier on Wednesday.
The governing body said: “FIFA can confirm that following a request by the Italian FA (FIGC), the chairperson of FIFA disciplinary committee has decided to extend the sanctions imposed by FIGC on several football officials to have worldwide effect.”
Juventus have denied wrongdoing and they and Paratici have appealed against the sanctions.
On Tuesday Tottenham published a lengthy interview with Paratici in which he said Conte's departure was "the right decision for everyone" and the club was "focused" on supporting interim head coach Cristian Stellini as they try to secure a top-four finish.
Fan group the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust on Wednesday afternoon called for clarity and reassurance from the club.
Responding to the Paratici ban, it tweeted: "This news adds further to the extremely concerning situation at the club. No manager, no director of football and uncertainty around our star player and our end of season finish.
"Fans deserve to hear a clear statement of strategy from THFC so they can be reassured by the board on their plan to bring success and stability to the club."

Tottenham 'urgently seeking clarification from FIFA' over Fabio Paratici ban

Manchester United fans would be the focal point of the club if Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus is successful in his proposed takeover.

Manchester United fans would be the focal point of the club if Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus is successful in his proposed takeover.
Zilliacus, founder and chairman of investment company Mobile FutureWorks, has put together an offer that is being considered by the Raine Group, the firm overseeing a possible sale on behalf of the Glazer family.
The Finn, said to be a long-term United supporter, favours a 'Nordic model' that would see his consortium buy the club and then sell shares to supporters worldwide.
"It (United) was there long before all these people who are bidding for it were born and it will be here long after all these people who are bidding for it have passed away," he told the I newspaper.
"The backbone of that institution is the fans and in that respect it's hugely important the fans are at the centre of the decisions."
Zilliacus says that if his bid is chosen, supporters will be given a say on major issues such as ground redevelopment and squad building, but not team selection.
Although an outsider and a latecomer to the race to buy United - becoming the third party to publicly declare an interest after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani - Zilliacus claims his investment group should be considered serious contenders.
"I actually saw that the deadline was last Wednesday, literally on Wednesday morning and then I had to act very, very fast," the former chief executive of Nokia in Asia said.
"I called the bank [Raine], told them we would like to participate, Raine said it was kind of late and they weren't sure it made much sense.
"They discussed it internally and got back to us and said 'OK, here's an NDA [non-disclosure agreement], sign it then we'll discuss the next steps after that'.
"We signed the NDA, put in a bid in general terms on Wednesday but then the deadline was extended to Friday, which gave us two more days to put in a revised bid, which had an actual number of what we were bidding, and that's how it's played out.
"I have been doing business all my life, I have started companies, bought companies, sold companies so I have a global network and I have done this on a global scale - first with the largest phone company in the world, Nokia, then with my own group.
"I have a network that spans the globe of people who want to participate in interesting ventures, and this certainly is one. To put together financing for something like this - and it is a big sum - is something I'm used to."

Thomas Zilliacus: Manchester United fans the priority in proposed takeover

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford said a reported new deal worth £500,000 per week is not true. 

Marcus Rashford says reports he is looking for a new deal worth £500,000 per week to extend his contract at Manchester United are "complete nonsense".
The England forward will be out of contract in 2024, with the club having triggered a one-year extension earlier this season.
Negotiations continue over finalising a long-term deal for Rashford, who has been in fine form since his return from the World Cup, scoring 19 goals in 25 appearances.
Rashford, though, has rejected suggestions he is holding out for a big-money pay deal to stay at Old Trafford.
"Just before this one starts to do the rounds! It's complete nonsense," Rashford wrote on his Instagram story.
"The club and myself have been respectful to one another, and that's how it will remain. My focus is purely on finishing as well as possible in the league and winning trophies."
Rashford was called up for England's Euro 2024 qualification double-header against Italy and Ukraine, but withdrew having picked up a knock during United's FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham.
The 25-year-old, who spent some time in New York during the international break, has returned to training with United ahead of Sunday's Premier League game at Newcastle.

Marcus Rashford says £500,000-a-week wage demand is 'complete nonsense'

Aleksandar Mitrovic has apologised for grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during Fulham's FA Cup defeat at Manchester United.

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Aleksandar Mitrovic has apologised for grabbing referee Chris Kavanagh during Fulham's FA Cup defeat at Manchester United.
Fulham boss Marco Silva has also said sorry for his dismissal in his side's 3-1 quarter-final loss earlier this month and he too regretted his actions.
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Mitrovic was shown a straight red card for handling Kavanagh after the referee awarded a penalty and dismissed team-mate Willian for deliberate handball.
The Serbia striker, waiting to learn his punishment after being charged by the Football Association for violent conduct, said his reactions were "wrong" and that he had apologised to Kavanagh.
Silva has been charged with multiple misdemeanours, including improper conduct, improper behaviour and abusing match officials.
Mitrovic said he had had time to reflect "a very emotional" match while on international duty.
He said: "On a personal level, I regret my actions that led to me being sent off. I allowed my frustration to get the better of me, and how I reacted was wrong.
"I was trying to get the referee's attention, but I appreciate that I should not have put my hands on him and I understand why he showed me a red card, my first in-game sending off for Fulham and my first since the 2015-16 season."
The Football Association (FA) have since announced the standard punishment for Mitrovic’s dismissal – a three-game ban – would be "clearly insufficient".
Mitrovic added: "I have accepted the three-match ban for my red card, I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise, and I have volunteered to accept a club fine.
"I now want to do what I can to put this incident behind me and get back to helping my teammates on the pitch as soon as possible.
"In the meantime, I would like to reiterate my regret that this happened. I have already said sorry to my team-mates, but I would also like to apologise to the Fulham fans, particularly those who travelled to Old Trafford to support us and who did not stop singing all game. I hope to be back soon and repay their faith and support."
Silva, who has also been separately charged for comments made about Kavanagh after his side’s meltdown at Old Trafford, said he should have handled “a very difficult moment” better.
He added: "I regret what happened and I have spoken to Chris Kavanagh to apologise.
"He knows that I respect him and the job he has to do. Unfortunately, we did not see eye-to-eye on the day, but I recognise that he is one of the top referees in this country and I know that, when our paths cross again, there will be mutual respect between us.
"I am sorry that I was not on the pitch to try to lead the team to what could have been an historic FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, but I am thankful for all the support I have received from Fulham fans over the last few days."
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