Holders United knocked out of FA Cup: Five things we learned from Man United 1-1 [PEN 3-4] Fulham | OneFootball

Manchester United have crashed out of the FA Cup after losing to fellow Premier League side Fulham on penalties.

United’s hopes of retaining their FA Cup crown are officially over. They hosted Fulham at Old Trafford in an entertaining affair and it was the visitors who took the lead just before half-time through Calvin Bassey.

United’s captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes scored the equaliser in the second half but the Red Devils could not find a winner. The scores remained level after extra time and penalties followed since the sides could not be split.

Fulham prevailed in the shootout, converting all four of the penalties that they took. Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee were the unlucky duo that had their spot kicks saved.

Here are five things we learned from a dramatic FA Cup tie:

Amorim’s trophy hopes

Since coming in, Ruben Amorim has constantly reiterated that this season is going to be tough for United. They have continued to struggle in the league and look miles away from the levels that they would hope to reach. Despite what the coach may say, he would still love to get his hands on silverware this season. With a number of top teams already out of this year’s FA Cup, there could have been a real chance for United to go far in the competition. However, the Reds are now out of the competition and the Europe League is their only opportunity for a trophy. It is also their only chance of European qualification for next season.

Marco Silva’s men going under the radar

Fulham are into the next round of the cup and they are quietly enjoying an impressive campaign. Marco Silva’s side sit in 9th place in the Premier League table. They are just five points behind Man City, four behind Chelsea, two behind Newcastle and are above Aston Villa. Despite this, Fulham have actually been slipping somewhat under the radar. Much praise has been given to Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth and rightly so, but Fulham are also deserving of such compliments. They will face Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals with the opportunity to earn trip to Wembley.

Hard times continue for Hojlund

Rasmus Hojlund has struggled since he arrived at Old Trafford for a £72 million fee. Although the manager seems to maintain his faith in him and continues to start him, United’s fans are clearly running out of patience with their number nine. So far in 2025, the Danish striker has not scored in any of his 13 appearances. He is without a goal since the 12th of December. It was another underwhelming display from Hojlund today. In the 68th minute, the attacker was replaced by 17-year-old Chido Obi, who looked much more dangerous than him.

United concede first again

Slow starts have become an unwanted characteristic of United since Amorim began his tenure at the club. The Reds have now conceded first in each of their last six matches. It has happened in 12 of the 16 league games under Amorim so far. These numbers are unacceptable and signal the serious problems that are continuing at United. It will take more than an overnight fix to solve their defensive frailties.

Leno the match-winner

Goalkeepers do not often get the chance to be the hero but Bernd Leno was for Fulham today. The 32-year-old shot-stopper has been around for a long time and today will be one of his best days. The German was pivotal for his team as he made two saves in the shootout to win the match. He also made a number of important stops during regulation time and extra time. It might not happen often but Leno will be celebrated as the match winner tonight.