The FA Cup semi-final draw was made last night as one of Manchester United or West Ham were drawn with Everton is a potentially mouth-watering clash. Crystal Palace and Watford were the other two teams in the draw and will face off in a London derby at Wembley.
The FA Cup draw was a very London-centric event this time around, as West Ham, Watford and Crystal Palace were all in the pot. It marked the first time in a long while that none of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur were present with 3 London teams in the semi-final draw.
Another London side, Reading, had made the semi-finals last season, and were overwhelmingly the side that everyone wanted to draw. However, that was not the case this season as all of Crystal Palace, Watford, Everton, West Ham and Manchester United are rather evenly matched, with this being the most competitive Premier League season in recent memory.
With top chef Heston Blumenthal in attendance, a potentially mouth-watering clash between Manchester United and Everton was picked, although the Red Devils have the rather daunting task of eliminating West Ham in the last ever FA Cup game at Upton Park, since the Hammers are moving away from the Boleyn ground to London’s Olympic stadium next week.
The ties will be played in Wembley on the 23rd and 24th of April, a blockbuster FA Cup weekend.
Most open FA Cup in years
Given Arsenal’s shock elimination at the hands of Watford in the quarterfinals, the FA Cup semi-final draw had no team from the Premier League top 4. The remaining 5 sides in the competition occupy places from 5th to 15th in the table, which makes it a rather intriguing end to the FA Cup.
Neither of Crystal Palace or Watford have ever won the FA Cup, although the pair have made the final of England’s most prestigious cup competition. The FA Cup is set for a first-time winner since 2004, as Manchester United were the most recent champions among the 5 sides, with West Ham tasting success in 1980 and Everton in 1995.
A Watford vs Everton final is a possibility, which will be a repeat of the 1983-84 season FA Cup final clash, which the Merseyside blues won. However, given Manchester United’s survival in the competition thanks to an Anthony Martial equalizer that forced a replay against West Ham, the Red Devils ought to be considered favourites, despite their travails this season.
