LONDON – West Ham United manager David Moyes is embracing the challenge of taking on his former side Manchester United in the FA Cup after a 2-0 win at Derby County on Monday set up a fifth-round clash.
Goals from Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio sealed the victory and the Hammers will next travel to Old Trafford, where Moyes was in charge for a short stint in 2013-2014 following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I’m really looking forward to the game. I think it’s a really good game for us at West Ham,” he said.
“I think maybe at the moment that’s the game we need because we’ve got players who want to play on the big stage and players who can play on the big stage.
“There’s nothing bigger than Old Trafford, so I’m saying to the players, ‘Come on, let’s go and take it on and challenge them’.”
West Ham will take on United in a Cup match for the third straight season. They won 1-0 in last season’s League Cup and lost by the same score in the FA Cup fifth round in 2021.
“Man United are playing very well. The manager’s doing a great job there, so it will be a tough, tough game, but why not?” added Moyes, whose side are hoping to reach the FA Cup final for the first time since 2006.
“If you’re going to get to the Cup final, you’re going to have to find a way of knocking a few of the bigger teams out along the road.”
West Ham might be perilously close to the relegation zone in the English Premier League, but they were never seriously threatened by League One promotion chasers Derby on Monday.
The Hammers are languishing in 16th place in the English top flight, just one point above the relegation zone.
Their victory came just hours after the last-16 draw was made.
Wrexham will host Tottenham Hotspur if the non-league side can beat Sheffield United in a fourth-round replay.
Fifth-tier Wrexham were seconds away from a shock win against Sheffield on Sunday before the Championship side snatched a 3-3 draw.
Manchester City, 1-0 winners over Premier League leaders Arsenal on Friday, travel to second-tier Bristol City, for the first meeting of the sides since the League Cup semi-finals in 2018.
Pep Guardiola’s men won then and are among the favourites for the 2023 FA Cup, a trophy they last lifted in the 2018-19 season.
Brighton & Hove Albion head to second-tier Stoke City after knocking out holders Liverpool with a dramatic 2-1 victory on Sunday. AFP
