'They're forcing us out!' - why Sir Alex Ferguson was forced to call the Prime Minister over Man United FA Cup defence

Manchester United's week prior to the international break saw them focus solely on cup competitions as Erik ten Hag continued his aim of securing as much silverware as possible in his first season at the club.

With the Carabao Cup in the bag and progression to the quarter-finals of the Europa League secured, United then progressed to the semi-final of the FA Cup with a win over Fulham. While their importance may have dwindled over the years, domestic trophies still hold a special place in the hearts of plenty of those associated with United.

Chief among the supporters of domestic cup competitions is Sir Alex Ferguson. However, back in 1999, the Reds became one of the most controversial clubs in the country due to their perceived attitude towards the FA Cup.

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When delving back into this issue, it is important to remember one aspect which is so often misremembered over the years: Ferguson and United never wanted to abandon their hopes of playing in the FA Cup.

The legendary United boss was always a big fan of the domestic cup, as mentioned previously, and the idea of not defending the FA Cup in the 1999/2000 season was not on the cards, in his mind. However, United's plans were turned on their head after they qualified for the Club World Cup in Brazil due to their Champions League glory the season prior.

This would prove to be the first iteration of the tournament which pitted clubs from different confederations against each other but the idea has never received much support in England or