FA Cup: Chelsea draw Manchester United in the fifth round
The match-up, a repeat of last year’s final which the Blues won 1-0, will take place between Friday, 15 February and Monday, 18 February.
Given the west London club’s involvement in the Europa League - they play Malmo on Thursday, 14 February in Sweden - the game will almost certainly be on Sunday or Monday.
There are already planned engineering works for the late night trains from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on the Monday night, with Sunday operations usually lighter too.
United fans have already used Twitter to vent their frustration at another untimely draw, despite the blockbuster nature of the clash.
However, some fans have questioned whether the tie was in fact fixed after watching Ian Wright draw United’s ball - number 15 - from the bowl.
Instead of using the usual swilling action to draw the ball, Wright uses a furtive grabbing technique.
The majority of viewers did not bat an eyelid, but some bizarrelytheorisedthat the Arsenal legend was feeling around for a “heated” ball.
FA Cup draw: Fans theorise that Chelsea vs Man Utd was fixed (Image: BBC)
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“FEELING FOR THAT HEATED UNITED BALL ARE WE IAN????? Ffssssss,” one user questioned, with a slow-motion video of Wright selecting the ball.
Another posted: “You can’t tell me this draw ain’t fixed, Just look at Ian’s hands in the pot.”
One more tweeted: “Manchester United Draw Chelsea in the #FACupdraw fifth round. If this isn’t the Most fixed s*** I’ve seen idk what is.”
Wright does the use the same drawing motion throughout, however, and there is no weighted substance to the claims.
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