Andreas Pereira, a former midfielder for Manchester United, wants to prove to the team that they were wrong to let him go by assisting his current team, Fulham, in defeating them in the FA Cup fifth round.
On Sunday afternoon, United will play the Cottagers at Old Trafford in the competition. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. In an attempt to defend the crown they took home from the previous season, Ruben Amorim’s team will advance to the quarterfinals.
The 29-year-old Pereira, who joined the Fulham U18 team from the PSV youth teams, spent more than ten years at Old Trafford before moving away permanently in the summer of 2022 to join Fulham in a £10 million deal.
He made 75 appearances for United’s first team, scoring four goals, and he is excited to play in the FA Cup again. He has also explained why he believes he has a point to prove every time he faces United.
“It’s always a special feeling to go back to Old Trafford, where I called home for a lot of years,” he told Opta Analyst. “It’s always a special game for me.
“I don’t think I got my full chance to play and show my quality when I was there. Fulham gave me that opportunity, they did everything for me, and I want to do everything for them. So, whenever I play at Old Trafford, I want to show that United made a mistake.”
Since leaving the team, Pereira has faced United seven times, including in this cup matchup. Only once, in February 2024, has he been on the winning side. The other five have been won by United, including a 3-1 victory in the 2023 FA Cup quarterfinal.