MANCHESTER UNITED
Emirates FA Cup fifth round, Wednesday 1 March 2023, 7.45pm GMT
West Ham United supporters could have been forgiven for asking ‘Again?’ when their team was drawn away to Manchester United in the last-16 of this season’s Emirates FA Cup.
For the Hammers have come out of the hat to face the Red Devils an incredible nine times in the last 40 seasons, with six of those initial ties held at OId Trafford.
The Irons have prevailed just twice, in a fifth-round replay in 1986 and fourth-round tie in January 2001, with Paolo Di Canio famously settling the latter despite goalkeeper Fabien Barthez’s best efforts to convince the Italian he was offside.
Prior to 1983, the two clubs had been drawn together just twice. The first was also their first-ever meeting in February 1911, when goals from Danny Shea and Thomas Caldwell saw the then-Southern League Hammers upset their Football League First Division opponents at the Boleyn Ground.
The second was played in horrible conditions at Hillsborough in March 1964, when two goals from Ronnie Boyce and one from Geoff Hurst saw off the star-studded Red Devils in the semi-final. Ron Greenwood’s side would defeat Preston North End at Wembley seven weeks later to win the FA Cup for the first time.
How to get there…
As is the case with so many football stadia these days, it is recommended that supporters take public transport, rather than driving to the game. However, with FA Cup fifth-round ties being played midweek this season, taking the train will necessitate an overnight stay in Manchester.
If you are taking the train up from London, take a service from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly.
From Piccadilly, take the Metrolink towards Altrincham and get off at Old Trafford. From there, it is a ten-minute walk to the stadium. Alternatively, you can take a taxi, which should cost you around £10.
If you do opt to drive to the game, you can purchase matchday parking permits to park near Old Trafford for £12. Visit tickets.manutd.com to book your space.
Alternatively, park elsewhere and take the Metrolink to the ground.
Where to stay…
As England’s second-largest urban area, Manchester and its surrounding towns have plenty of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes.
There are some sensational hotels in the city, many of which are either within walking distance of the Metrolink or a short taxi ride to Old Trafford.
For those for whom price is more important than style, there are the usual chain options in and around the city centre.
What to do…
As a city that flourished and grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution, many of Manchester’s major sights derive from the Victorian period.
If you arrive in the city with some time to explore before heading to Old Trafford, the Science and Industry Museum is a fascinating museum based in the country’s first railway station, Liverpool Road.
If you’d rather stick to the Beautiful Game, the National Football Museum is situated in Cathedral Gardens to the north of the city centre, and houses the world’s finest collection of football objects and memorabilia, the English Football Hall of Fame, as well as interactive games for all the family.
Many of the exhibits have a link with West Ham United, including Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore’s boots and Hurst’s shirt from England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup final win over West Germany.
For further information, head to visitmanchester.co.uk.
What’s happened there before…
As mentioned, we have been to Old Trafford regularly in the FA Cup in recent decades, but those visits have not been particularly successful!
Our first FA Cup tie there was in January 1983, when Ron Atkinson’s Manchester United won 2-0 on their way to lifting the trophy. Two seasons later, in March 1985, Atkinson’s side ran out 4-2 sixth-round winners.
March 1986 saw John Lyall’s Irons avenge those defeats with a 2-0 fifth-round replay win courtesy of Ray Stewart’s penalty and Geoff Pike’s header.
Paolo Di Canio’s unforgettable winner settled a fourth-round visit in January 2001, but Alex Ferguson’s men got their own back at the same stage two years later, thumping Glenn Roeder’s Hammers 6-0.
January 2013 saw Sam Allardyce’s side edged out 1-0 in a third-round replay at Old Trafford. Three years later, Dimitri Payet’s free-kick seemingly had the Hammers on their way to the semi-finals, but a controversial late equaliser denied them and the Red Devils won the replay in east London.
February 2021 saw David Moyes’ men defeated in the fifth round by Scott McTominay’s extra-time goal.
