The matches are set for April 23 and April 24. Pallister also netted in the second game at the same ground after his fellow centre-back Steve Bruce had opened the scoring.
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Going back to that goal and Payet, I would be astonished if he was not on the short list for player of the year.
The two sides had cancelled each other for the most part, despite the visitors having the best two chances of the opening half with Andy Carroll going close. On Thursday they hope to overturn a 2-0 deficit to Liverpool in the Europa League last-16 second leg and on Sunday take on Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in a derby with ramifications for the teams’ hopes of a top-four finish.
He said: “In our dressing room after the game it was kind of silent”.
There were two moments of controversy in the game – first was when Payet was denied a penalty after he was fouled by Marcos Rojo in the box, secondly was Bastian Schweinsteiger blocking the West Ham goalkeeper in the build-up t Martial’s equaliser.
Chris Smalling believes Manchester United can flourish in this week’s “massive” matches if they can replicate the display that kept their FA Cup dreams alive. Referee Martin Atkinson waved play on and afterwards Van Gaal claimed Payet had dived.
Bilic said Payet, who later scored with a brilliant free kick, should have been awarded a penalty.
Slaven Bilic’s side, two points and a place above Van Gaal’s men in fifth place in the league, made three decent chances inside the first 18 minutes as they took the game to their hosts with some excellent football.
“I am not blaming the ref, but it was an obvious foul on “Randy” because if he didn’t do that he would be definitely on the ball – it was a foul”. I think if they’re not going to give a penalty, then it has got to be diving, really, hasn’t it? We are a little but disappointed because we were there the last few minutes and the time when you conceded makes you a little bit down.
“But I told the guys that it shows that we are confident and moving in a good direction”.
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Of course the tie was better than an immediate departure from the competition via a loss to the Hammers, but the replay at West Ham’s Upton Park will prove to be a hard task.
