"We deserved it” says Fulham boss Marco Silva after eliminating Manchester United at Old Trafford

Manchester United 1-1 Fulham (3-4 on penalties)

Marco Silva’s Fulham are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup after overcoming holders Manchester United on penalties at Old Trafford.

The visitors were increasingly impressive at the Theatre of Dreams, taking a first-half lead and surviving a resurgence from Rúben Amorim’s men, before edging the encounter with a perfect performance in the shootout.

A drab first half was sparked into life when Calin Bassey gave Fulham the lead via a header on 45+1 minutes, with neither side having done much to inspire spectators before the opener. United improved after the hour mark and captain Bruno Fernandes levelled the score with a superb left-foot finish from Diogo Dalot’s pull-back on 71 minutes.

United had the better of the chances during the remainder of normal time and the additional 30 minutes, with 17-year-old substitute Chido Obi failing to convert from three clearcut opportunities. A penalty shootout was required to separate the teams, with Marco Silva’s side converting all four of their spot-kicks, while United were successful with Seleção duo Fernandes and Dalot, but lost out due to missed kicks by Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee.

“We wanted to be in the next stage, we wanted to be in the quarter-final, and I really believe and it is my feeling that we deserved it,” Silva said after the match. “We knew how Man United is going to play, it’s not easy to come here and take control of the game. Knowing that they love the open space to counter attack.

“First half, we were not at our best. We sorted some things at half time and I think the team improved in the last 30 minutes of the second half, even with the goal from Bruno. I think we controlled the game. The extra time was the same, we took control and played in their defensive third. We took risks and the only situations they had were in counter attack.

“In the counter attacks aspect the game was balanced, but it was much more us in control, more us taking responsibility to control the game on the ball. It’s our way, our identity. Overall I really believe Fulham deserve to be in the next stage.”

We believe in what we're doing - Amorim

Amorim, meanwhile, was left to count the cost of another underwhelming display by the Red Devils, who must recover quickly ahead of their Europa League clash with Real Sociedad on Thursday. With little else to play for this season, the European competition is the only potential saving grace for United’s season and is crucial in Amorim avoiding significant pressure.

“I think we had 35 minutes with good possession, good control of the game,” Amorim said. “The rest of the game we created the best chances. Sometimes we dropped the lines a little bit to feel comfortable and to use the pace to make transitions. It’s tough to deal with the loss but when you go to penalties anything can happen and today was not our day.

“It’s not just the results, sometimes the performances are not the best. We believe a lot in what we are doing, so we teach them and I feel that they are learning, we are improving. Sometimes we cannot play 90 minutes the same way, but we are increasing the time that we play with good possession, with more confidence.

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We already know that this season is going to be like that, so we are going to face the next opponent and try to win.”

The draw for the last-eight was made after the final whistle and Fulham’s ambition of continuing their run were boosted by a pairing with Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. With many heavyweights already eliminated from the competition, the chances of Fulham, who have never won a major trophy, reaching a second-ever final are becoming increasingly plausible.

By @SeanGillen9