When Manchester United vs Chelsea could take place as FA Cup win adds to match congestion

Manchester United face two months of chaos in the final weeks of the season after beating Fulham to reach the FA Cup semi-final.

United came from behind to win 3-1 amid some crazy moments from Fulham, where they conceded a penalty, saw Willian and Aleksandar Mitrovic sent off, as well as manager Marco Silva, and scored twice. Bruno Fernandes scored twice, including the penalty, and Marcel Sabitzer also scored for the hosts.

The win means Erik ten Hag’s team’s Premier League date at home to Chelsea next month will be moved up with a trip to Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final now taking place that weekend. That meeting is scheduled for Sunday April 23, with United in Europa League action the previous Thursday.

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United have already won the Carabao Cup and are still fighting for more silverware this term, as well as trying to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League to clinch Champions League football next season. And the progress of the FA Cup has added to an already congested schedule.

Games against cup opponents Brighton and now Chelsea must be included in the calendar with no byes in April, when United are already playing nine games in four weeks in three competitions. Ten Hag’s side currently have four weeks off in May to play matches, but two could qualify for the Europa League semi-finals if United beat Sevilla. The two games of the last four will take place on May 11 and May 18, leaving just two options for the Brighton and Chelsea games: the weeks starting on May 1 or 22.

The schedule is compounded by the date of United’s league match at West Ham on the weekend of May 6, which coincides with King Charles’s coronation weekend. The King’s coronation will take place on Saturday May 6, a concert and light show will take place at Windsor Castle on May 7 and May 8 is a public holiday. United’s home game against Leeds, originally scheduled for 18 September, was postponed by five months due to the presence of Greater Manchester Police at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on 19 September.

The Premier League season ends on Sunday May 29 with the FA Cup final on Saturday June 3. The Europa League final is on Wednesday, May 31. quarter-finals of the FA Cup and finally triumphed in the Europa League.

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