Manchester United -v- West Ham United
Emirates FA Cup
Old Trafford, Manchester
Wednesday 1 March 2023, KO 19:45 GMT
Manchester United will go head to head with West Ham United in the Emirates FA Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening, just three days after lifting the Carabao Cup at Wembley after beating Newcastle United 2-0 with goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford. It was the first trophy for Erik ten Hag since taking over as United manager and hopefully the first of many in the not too distant future. United will be seeking to remain in the FA Cup this season.
In the FA Cup so far this season United have beaten Everton 3-1 and Reading 3-1 with both matches played at Old Trafford, much like this one against the Hammers. David Moyes’ side have beaten Brentford 1-0 and Derby County 2-0 to reach the fifth round of the competition this season with both teams seeking a place in the quarter final stage draw. United are the only team in England to have been playing in four competitions prior to Sunday’s final – now three competitions.
United face Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon before they face Real Betis in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 first leg four days after that. It is a busy period for United but they would have it no other way with matches coming thick and fast for the foreseeable future. United had just four matches in March, which is now six and could well result in Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion being postponed, if United win.
Manchester United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Newcastle United 2-0 W, Barcelona 2-1 W, Leicester City 3-0 W, Barcelona 2-2 D, Leeds United 2-0 W, Leeds United 2-2 D
Goals: 25 – Marcus Rashford, 7 – Bruno Fernandes, 6 – Antony, Anthony Martial, 5 – Casemiro, Fred, Jadon Sancho, 4 – Own Goal, 3 – Alejandro Garnacho, Cristiano Ronaldo, 2 – Christian Eriksen, Scott McTominay, 1 – Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Wout Weghorst
Assists: 9 – Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, 7 – Marcus Rashford, 5 – Casemiro, Luke Shaw, 4 – Alejandro Garnacho, 3 – Fred, 2 – Diogo Dalot, Anthony Elanga, Anthony Martial, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wout Weghorst, 1 – Antony, Scott McTominay, Facundo Pellistri, Jadon Sancho, Aaron Wan-Bissaka
West Ham United – Form, Goals Scored & Assists
Nottingham Forest 4-0 W, Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 L, Chelsea 1-1 D, Newcastle United 1-1 D, Derby County 2-0 W, Everton 2-0 W
Goals: 7 – Jarrod Bowen, 6 – Michail Antonio, 5 – Saïd Benrahma, Gianluca Scamacca, 4 – Pablo Fornals, 2 – Emerson, Danny Ings, Manuel Lanzini, Lucas Paquetá, Declan Rice, 1 – Craig Dawson, Tomás Soucek, Kurt Zouma
Assists: 3 – Michail Antonio, Saïd Benrahma, Lucas Paquetá, Declan Rice, 2 – Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals, Tomás Soucek, 1 – Maxwel Cornet, Aaron Cresswell, Emerson, Ben Johnson
Previous Meetings & Connections
United and West Ham have met 150 in all competitions in the history of both clubs. Then first match was played back in 1911 with West Ham beating United 2-1 in the FA Cup. United have won 72 times, drawn 32 times and lost 46 times. The last defeat to the Hammers came in the Carabao Cup last season with United losing 1-0 at Old Trafford. United have won the last two matches played – both in the Premier League. United will be seeking to win this match too.
United have met the Hammers 17 times in a domestic cup competition; 13 times in the FA Cup and four times in the League Cup. United have won eight times, drawn three times and lost six times. In the FA Cup alone, United have beaten the Hammers six times, drawing three times and losing four times. United have scored 22 goals, conceded 15 goals and keeping four clean sheets. United want to win this match to keep them alive in the three remaining competitions.
Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick, Teddy Sheringham, Javier Hernandez, Carlos Tevez, Roy Carroll, David Bellion, Jonathan Spector, Ravel Morrison and Jesse Lingard have all played for United and West Ham. David Moyes has also managed both clubs, rightly so being sacked by United in April 2014 after a terrible season for United who went from Champions to seventh in the league – their lowest ever finish in the Premier League in the history of the club.
Team News
Donny van de Beek and Christian Eriksen are still the only two long-term injuries the club has this season. Van de Beek has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with Eriksen still likely to be back in action before the season ends. Anthony Martial is a doubt ahead of this match with him only returning to training last week and he could be on the bench for this match or back in time for the visit to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday. United have strength in depth.
After lifting the Carabao Cup on Sunday, United will be seeking to remain in the Emirates FA Cup, staying in the remaining three competitions this season. Erik ten Hag could make a few rotational changes to the squad to keep players fresh, especially with a trip to Anfield on the horizon at the weekend. United still have the likes of Scott McTominay, Facundo Pellistri, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia and Anthony Elanga should they need to utilise them.
Maxwel Cornet is the only player to be ruled out through injury at this time for the Hammers. Kurt Zouma has a 25% chance of being fit for the visit to Old Trafford because of a thigh injury, so will remain a doubt. Vladimir Coufal has a 50% chance of featuring against United because of a heel injury and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski came off with an eye injury against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, which also gives him a 50% chance of featuring against United.
Predicted Manchester United Starting XI – 4-2-3-1
De Gea;
Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Martinez, Malacia;
Casemiro, Sabitzer;
Antony, Fernandes, Rashford;
Weghorst
Predicted West Ham United Starting XI – 4-3-3
Aréola;
Cresswell, Aguerd, Ogbonna, Johnson;
Soucek, Rice, Paquetá;
Bowen, Ings, Benrahma
Match Prediction
United and West Ham have met each other 150 competitively since 1911 with United winning 72 times, drawing 32 times and losing 46 times. United and the Hammers have already met once this season in the Premier League with United winning the match 1-0 with Marcus Rashford scoring the only goal in that match played at Old Trafford. United will be seeking a similar result with them reaching the quarter final stages of the Emirates FA Cup this season.
United have had some really good results in the past few weeks and are undefeated in their last ten matches in all competitions. Their run at Old Trafford is much different with United undefeated in the last 18 matches at Old Trafford. This has gone a long way to helping United to get where they are this season – winning the Carabao Cup and still competing in three competitions with the Premier League still something they could compete for this season – against the odds.
United sit third in the Premier League at this time, five points adrift of second-placed Manchester City and four points clear of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, having a game in hand over both teams. The Hammers are likely to be involved in the relegation battle this season, sitting in 16th place so far this season, just two points and better goal difference above the relegation zone. It is far from the prefect season for West Ham and United will be out to knock them out.
Manchester United 2-0 West Ham United
Written by John Walker
