FA to take time over cup replay decision

The Football Association is not expected to make a decision on the FA Cup quarter-final replay between Manchester United and Chelsea until later this week.

The date for the replay is likely to hinge on Chelsea’s Europa League encounter with Steaua Bucharest at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

If Rafael Benitez’s men lose, the replay is set to be played during the first week of April, even though UEFA prefers major countries not to arrange domestic fixtures at the same time as their competitions.

If Chelsea are able to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit, then a fixture pile-up would cause a real headache.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said after Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Old Trafford: “I don’t know when the replay will be played, probably May!”

Chelsea would need to play a Europa League quarter-final in the two midweeks immediately prior to the confirmed FA Cup semi-final dates of April 13 and 14.

The preceding international break rules out United heading to Chelsea for the right to play Manchester City in the last four any earlier, and it is viewed as impractical to cancel Premier League fixtures due to be played this weekend.

It would leave the FA either asking for matches on Easter weekend – United visit Sunderland and Chelsea head to Southampton, both for TV fixtures – to be postponed, or those on the following weekend, which would include the Manchester derby.