Fulham v Manchester United, FA Cup, March 7

Two goals from Tevez and one each from Rooney and Park ji Sung saw United reach the FA Cup semi-final yet again, but 4-0 just does not say it well enough.

Tevez and Rooney started up front and the midfield had Park and Fletcher as the wide players with Anderson supporting Carrick in the middle. Not standard personnel but definitely not unimpressive. However, the performance they put in would put many a great team to shame, including their very own first choice starting eleven (or whatever comes closest to that description).

I’ve been thinking of how to describe the way the Red Devils played and the only word I that comes close to describing it is ‘harmony’. It wasn’t just dominant, attractive and attacking but there was something more. It was as if each team member (in attack) read and understood what the other guy was looking to do and sometimes their passing and movement looked choreographed rather than instinctive and their play was truly a performance rather than a contest.

I have not often been convinced this season that United are anywhere near their peak, but if they keep reproducing this form, all opposition, leave alone Fulham will be swept aside.
Fulham for their part played almost as well as they could. Before the first United goal around the twentieth minute, they had in fact looked the better side. The United defense was often threatened and had multiple shaky moments which with some fortune did not cost them. And yet, it finished 4-0. I think all the Cottagers would have to say about this game is “Wow”.