Monday Fulham Stuff - 20/03/23...

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Fulham boss Marco Silva hopeful Aleksandr Mitrovic will avoid long ban for push on referee
Fulham goalscorer was one of two Fulham players sent off - along with their manager - during five minutes of madness in FA Cup exit to Manchester United

Fulham manager Marco Silva said he does not anticipate a lengthy ban for striker Aleksandr Mitrovic after he tried to grab referee Chris Kavanagh during five minutes of madness against Manchester United on Sunday.

Fulham led the FA Cup quarter-final tie at Old Trafford 1-0 through Mitrovic with a little over 20 minutes to go when Willian blocked a goal-bound Jadon Sancho shot on the line with his arm.

Kavanagh initially signalled for a corner but was sent by VAR Neil Swarbrick to the screen, where he dismissed a protesting Silva.

After the inevitable penalty decision – converted by Bruno Fernandes – and a red card for Willian, Fulham's goalscorer Mitrovic raged at Kavanagh and tried to pull him back by the arm – with only 40 seconds separating the three dismissals.

Paolo Di Canio got an 11-game ban for pushing Paul Alcock to the ground in 1998, but Mitrovic's grab was far less dramatic.

"I don't think so," Silva said of a potential long ban for his captain and top scorer. "I saw the image of course and I already spoke with Mitro. It is a moment for him to control the emotions.

"Of course he pushed the referee but I didn't see that being so bad as you are saying, so I hope the people who are going to decide, decide with the fairness the moment deserves."

Fulham had wanted two first-half penalties, both involving Mitrovic, who felt he was shoved by Luke Shaw early on before tangling with Lisandro Martinez soon after.

Asked if he could repeat what he said to Kavanagh in the buildup to his own dismissal, Silva snapped: "I don't remember. That he was a really nice guy, or the decision was fair or something like that."

Marcel Sabitzer scored two minutes after Fernandes' successful penalty and the latter added a third United goal deep into time added on.

United will face Brighton at Wembley with hopes of lifting the FA Cup for a 13th time and add it to the League Cup won last month.

United were second best on the balance of play before the penalty incident, and while Erik ten Hag was happy with the result he knows his side can play better.

"I am happy and pleased with the performance but I see a lot of room for improvement," he said. "On the ball today was an example, we have to show more composure, recognise where the overload is, use that overload.

"In attacking transitions today was some good examples we can definitely do better."



https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/2023/03/20/fulham-boss-marco-silva-hopeful-aleksandr-mitrovic-will-avoid-long-ban-for-push-on-referee/

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Fulham star gave Manchester United their most obvious transfer reminder

Man Utd were fortunate to beat Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford after a reckless moment of madness.

Erik ten Hag insisted his side would be able to cope without Casemiro, but the truth is that they barely did against Fulham in their FA Cup quarter-final win.

United were always going to be affected by the absence of arguably their two most important players in Raphael Varane and Casemiro, but the drop-off in quality was glaringly enormous.

Fulham started the match brightly with a flurry of corners and only grew in confidence when it became apparent that United simply were there to be beaten in midfield.

There were a few impressive individual moments defensively to keep their side level early on, but this very much felt like a team of individuals assembled to put a plaster over the damage done to their line up.

Fulham always looked like a threat, even if they proved to be lacking in the final third, with Joao Palhinha forming the foundation for their impressive gameplan to function.

The 27-year-old has arguably been Fulham's best player on their impressive return to the top flight, and he could well be playing back in Europe next season, even if his current club side aren't.

Palhinha had impressed in the first meeting between the two sides last November and relished the opportunity to assert his dominance against a United side with a weakened spine.

United were one of the sides loosely linked with the forming Sporting star last week, and although a move for him seems highly unlikely this summer, another player in his mould is certainly required.

Ten Hag has been unfortunate that his side's reliance on Casemiro has been exploited so often this season, and they will hope his suspension issues are a freak occurrence rather than form going forward.

However, if they want to challenge on all fronts in the final months of the season and next season as well, then it is essential they have a proper alternative to their star midfielder, rather than an awkward makeshift solution.

Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer both have some merit as squad players in this United side, but they are too similar to start together and struggled to offer any control in the middle of the park.

They are both attack-minded midfielders who like to make driving forward runs, leaving United light in central areas and without any defensive cover whenever they lose the ball.

McTominay has shown an enthusiasm to fill in the deeper role whenever it has been asked of him, and although he has many of the physical traits needed to occupy the position, he lacks creativity and the passing ability that Casemiro offers.

This was confounded when McTominay was replaced by Antony less than an hour into the match, with Ten Hag instead preferring to drop Fernandes into a deeper role and use Wout Weghorst in attacking midfield.

Fulham's reckless red card implosion gifted United a way back into the game, and as soon as Fernandes netted from the spot, it seemed certain that a second would follow. Sabitzer, now with licence to push forward as much as he wanted, did just that and finished brilliantly to all but settle the tie.

There was little room for pessimism even after a largely poor performance, but this was another match in which United somehow managed to win when they weren't at their best.

Ten Hag will argue that his side did manage to win without Casemiro again, though this victory was owed as much to Fulham's own wild decision-making as it was about their own performance on the day.

United have already outlined plans to sign an elite striker and another creative midfielder this summer. They need another defensive anchor too.

Palhinha might want to see red differently.



https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-united-news-fulham-latest-26508298

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Fulham's Manor Solomon urged to join Arsenal in potential £17m deal

Fulham loanee Manor Solomon should join Premier League leaders Arsenal if Shakhtar Donetsk decide to cash in on the Israel international this summer, his former Maccabi Petah Tikva president Avi Luzon tells One.

One can only imagine how Solomon must have been feeling as Fulham crashed out of the FA Cup quarter-finals in remarkable circumstances at Old Trafford; a penalty, three red cards and two goals, all within the space of around five minutes, turning a match Marco Silva's side had dominated on it's head in the blinking of an eye.

Solomon only played the final few seconds in Manchester as a nine-man side ended up on the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline. If Silva had his time again, perhaps the Fulham boss would have opted to bring the Shakhtar loanee off the bench a little earlier, when the Cottagers were swaggering and threatening to double the lead given to them just after the interval by a now-disgraced Aleksandr Mitrovic.

Quicksilver Solomon has been outstanding in recent weeks. He even scored in five successive games. But, with the 23-year-old only at Craven Cottage on a short-term deal, the vultures are already circling, per Fabrizio Romano; Arsenal and Tottenham reportedly among them.

Could Fulham's Shakhtar Donetsk loanee Manor Solomon end up at Arsenal?
Luzon believes Shakhtar will cash in on Solomon in the coming months. And Arsenal, he says, is ideal for a player who made his debut at Maccabi Petah Tikva in 2016.

"They do have an interest in selling him, in order to get money," Luzon explains.

"In my estimation, he will be sold for an amount between 10 and 20 million euros (£9m to £17m) to a team that will give Manor the opportunity to continue developing. He should receive a contract for five seasons and secure his future."

"In my opinion? (He should go) to Arsenal. I think he's ready to play there."

The right-footed left-winger, who has made cutting inside and bending shots into the far corner his party piece in West London, described the Gunners as the 'strongest team in the Premier League' just last week.

"For me, personally, it's exciting," Solomon's wife, Dana Waszcina, tells Sport1 when asked about those Arsenal links.

"But let's wait and see because you never know what will happen in the summer, as always. I hope that we will be in a good place. At a good team, and that both of us will be good.   

"I believe in him very much, because I see up close how hard he works. I believe in him."



https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/03/20/fulhams-manor-solomon-urged-to-join-arsenal-in-potential-17m-deal/

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Red mist ruins Fulham's Cup dreams
Talk about gone in sixty seconds. Ill-discipline cost Fulham, who had fashioned a flawless away performance to be in front and in complete command at Old Trafford with three quarters of the game gone, the chance of reaching their first FA Cup semi-final in more than two decades and prolonged Manchester United's hopes of completing a Cup treble. Aleksandar Mitrovic had plundered his first goal since the turn of the year from a well-worked corner but the Serbian followed Willian and Marco Silva in receiving red cards after he completely lost the plot in confronting Chris Kavanagh after the referee had dismissed Fulham's Brazilian winger for handball on the line.

Silva will have to take responsibility for starting the meltdown by being sent from the dugout even before Kavanagh had finished consulting the television screen for the game's decisive moment. The Fulham head coach hurled a water bottle in the direction of the assistant referee in anticipation of Kavanagh's initial awarding of a corner instead of a penalty after Willian had blocked Jadon Sancho's goalbound shot with his hand. Silva was justifiably incensed that his side had seen two strong penalty shouts of their own ignored, but his own petulance is now becoming a problem.

His early exit here prompted the sort of meltdown more common with toddlers than professionals. Willian greeted his own dismissal with a rueful smile, having worked so hard to atone for his error in attempting a back-flicked clearance on the halfway line that allowed substitute Antony to storm away from a resolute Fulham rearguard, but Mitrovic – who had not been sent off in five years at Fulham – raged at the referee, touching the official on the shoulder as he exploded with anger and suddenly the Whites were down to nine. Losing their most potent forward for three games will probably spell the end of Fulham's European hopes, but the striker is almost certain to get a longer ban.

The most infuriating aspect of this entirely avoidable course of events is that Fulham had produced the perfect response to two derby defeats and were dominating the only all Premier League tie of the quarter finals. They were confident in possession from the outset, with Mitrovic giving Harry Maguire the runaround, and David de Gea extended early by a looping header from Issa Diop. Silva seethed after his Serbian striker was shoved over in the area by Luke Shaw – perhaps setting the tone for what came later. Andreas Pereira roamed dangerously on his return to Old Trafford, creating space for Willian, who curler from distance drifted wide.

The returning Joao Palhinha added ballast to the Fulham midfield and United looked both unbalanced and uncertain by comparison. Their first chance owed much to the pace and vision of Marcus Rashford, who teed up Wout Weghorst, whose shot lacked any conviction. Fulham continued to take the game to their hosts with a wonderful Harrison Reed run requiring an intervention from little Lisandro Martinez. Bernd Leno and Tim Ream came to the Cotttagers' rescue in quick successive before the break to deny Marcel Sabitzer and Scott McTominay, but that frenzied finish belied Fulham's confidence throughout the first half.

The pattern remained the same after the interval. A deft flick from Willian after a peerless Palhinha tackle released Robinson into the United area but de Gea displayed all of his agility to push the American's effort over the bar. The visitors kept up the pressure and a clever corner return broke the deadlock. Diop inventively helped Pereira's set play to the back post where Mitrovic fired a finish into the net, sparking delirium amongst the travelling fans.

The home side showed little in response, with Bruno Fernandes whistling a shot wide from the edge of the box after intelligent play from Rashford, and Fulham would have doubled their lead without a sensational save from their nemesis in Hamburg thirteen years ago. United's goalkeeper might not be as nimble as he was in those Atletico Madrid days before he still clawed away a goalbound Mitrovic header to keep his side in the tie.

Eric ten Haag took off replaced an anonymous McTominay with Anthony and the electric winger immediately added a new dimension to the United attack. He created the game's turning point, racing along the right to reach a hopeful forward ball after Willian's samba trick had failed to clear the danger. Antony spotted Sancho in a scoring position and the England winger stepped inside Harrison Reed before shooting towards goal, only for Willian to arrive on the goal-line in the nick of time. Or so everybody thought.

The replay revealed a clear handball – similar to the pair that Kavanagh failed to spot at West Ham last year or in allowing a scrambled equaliser for Preston last term – and Willian was off. Fulham fell apart from there, even before Fernandes had stroked home the penalty and raised the volume in a previously subdued stadium. Before the visitors could reorganise with nine men, Sabitzer had steered a shot beyond Leno after slick interplay between Shaw and Sancho to turn the tie around.

A shellshocked Fulham kept fighting to the end – although not literally – but their spirited Cup run had collapsed all around them. Fernandes fired in a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time to rub salt into the wounds but this was a missed opportunity to match any in Fulham's 144-year history without a major honour.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): de Gea; Win-Bissaka, Shaw, Martinez, Maguire; McTominay (Antony 58), Sabitzer; Sancho, Rashford (Fred 83), Fernandes; Weghorst. Subs (not used): Butland, Malacia, Dalot, Malacia, Pellistri, Elanga, Mainoo.

BOOKED: Maguire.

GOALS: Fernandes (pen 75, 96), Sabitzer (77).

FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Leno, Teto (Cedric Soares 89), A. Robinson, Diop, Ream; Palhinha, Reed (James 89); Decordova-Reid (Solomon 89), Willian, Pereira (Cairney 89); Mitrovic. Subs (not used): Rodak, Adarabioyo, Lukic, Wilson, Vinicius.

BOOKED: Pereira, A. Robinson.

SENT OFF: Willian, Mitrovic.

GOALS: Mitrovic (50).

REFEREE: Chris Kavanagh (Greater Manchester).

ATTENDANCE: 73,511.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/03/red-mist-ruins-fulhams-cup-dreams/

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'I've lost confidence' – Keane slams Man Utd and claims Red Devils 'were so poor it's unbelievable'

Man Utd legend Roy Keane says he's been gradually losing confidence in Erik ten Hag's side in recent weeks after they beat Fulham 3-1 in their FA Cup quarter-final.

The Red Devils took advantage of a Fulham meltdown on Sunday after the Cottagers had two players sent off on 72 minutes.

With Fulham leading 1-0, Willian blocked a goalbound Jadon Sancho shot on the line with his arm with referee Chris Kavanagh sent over to the VAR review screen – where he dismissed a protesting Marco Silva – after initially giving a corner.

Kavanagh awarded a penalty to Man Utd and a red card to Willian before dismissing a raging Aleksandar Mitrovic for attempting to pull him back by the arm.

And Man Utd punished them with Bruno Fernandes converting the penalty before Marcel Sabitzer completed the turnaround just two minutes later, while Fernandes had time to add a third in injury time.

But former Red Devils captain Keane was not at all impressed by what he saw from Man Utd for the majority of the match.

"Obviously with the FA Cup the priority is getting into the next round but with United I still think their manager will be disappointed with what he saw," Keane told ITV Sport.

"Of course Fulham self-destructed but United were so poor it was unbelievable."

Some were tipping Man Utd to challenge for the title before the end of the season, which definitely won't be happening, and Keane is losing confidence in the team after recent displays.

"I've kind of lost that little bit of confidence watching them now," Keane added.

"I think about a month or two ago you're thinking 'yeah, they're up for it', but the last few games I've seen they have a real habit of, I think it's OK to play moments every-now-and-then, but I think that seems to be their DNA at the moment.

"And I think they've got into some real bad habits. It's almost they're turning up today thinking 'we're Man United, we're going to win football matches'.

"But if they turn up with that attitude for the semi-final, Brighton will beat them. Listen – it gives us a kick up the backside."

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag was happy to see his side progress to the FA Cup semi-finals but can see "a lot of room for improvement".

Ten Hag told reporters: "I am happy and pleased with the performance but I see a lot of room for improvement. On the ball today was an example, we have to show more composure, recognise where the overload is, use that overload.

"In attacking transitions today was some good examples we can definitely do better."



https://www.football365.com/news/keane-loses-confidence-man-utd-claims-poor-unbelievable