MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s dismal season hit a new low as the FA Cup holders crashed out after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out defeat against Fulham in the fifth round on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim’s side trailed to Calvin Bassey’s first-half opener at Old Trafford before Bruno Fernandes equalised to force a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Fulham keeper Bernd Leno was the hero in the shoot-out as he saved from Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee, with the visitors converting all four of their kicks.

Booed off at half-time, it was another wretched result for United in a season that sees them languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.

The 13-time FA Cup winners had reached the final for the last two seasons and beat Manchester City to lift the trophy last year.

But there will be no trip to Wembley this season for United, who have only the Europa League left as a silverware chance.

It has been another testing week at Old Trafford, with 200 job cuts announced and United struggling to draw with Everton and barely beat lowly Ipswich Town.

Amorim admitted that life is “hard” just now for United and this was the latest hammer blow to the under-fire Portuguese coa­ch, who only arrived in November to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.

United head to Real Sociedad for the Europa League last 16 first leg on Thursday before hosting Arsenal in the Premier League.

“It’s hard. We had the best cha­nces in the game but in the end the penalties can go both ways and today it was not our day,” Amorim said. “I know that we are losing games and losing trophies during this season but the goal is to win the Premier League.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take. But if you think like that, we can suffer a little bit in these defeats.”

Fulham’s reward for beating holders United is a home quarter-final tie in a London derby against Crystal Palace.

Manchester City were handed a tough trip to Bournemouth in qu­a­rter-final, while Aston Villa tr­a­vel to second-tier Preston.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2025