Manchester United vs Wolves: FA Cup’s replay problem has a simple solution

There were times during Manchester United’s third round replay with Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on Wednesday night when neither team looked particularly happy to be there.

Neither Ole Gunnar Solskjaer nor Nuno Espirito Santo needed this match. They have each come through a gruelling Christmas schedule, they both have Europa League commitments to fulfil next month and would have preferred the original tie at Molineux to be decisive.

United ultimately went through but are counting the cost of progression after top scorer Marcus Rashford aggravated problems with his back during a 15-minute cameo from the substitutes’ bench. His involvement at Liverpool on Sunday is now in doubt.

All-Premier League replays like Wednesday’s feel unnecessary in the modern age. Neither side needs the extra share of gate receipts or television money. Managers would happily swap that income for their players to have three or four extra days of rest.

But replays are an important element of the FA Cup’s tradition, central to its egalitarian ethos and redistributive function. To scrap them entirely would only benefit those clubs who already have much of football working in their favour.

During a season which saw the Football League lose one of its 92 members, it is worth remembering that these games offer a lifeline to lower league clubs. In League One and below, whether a bank balance is red or black can depend on a cup run.

But there is a change that the Football Association could make which would both ease the workload of well-established and financially stable clubs while safeguarding the interests of non-league hopefuls.

The idea? That clubs should be asked whether they want their tie to be settled by extra time and penalties if their first game ends in a draw.

The decision would have to be made prior to the match – no ad-hoc confabs at full time – and both clubs would need to agree to avoid a replay if it is to be avoided. If one club wants extra time and penalties but the other does not, normal rules apply and there is a replay.

This already happens in the FA Trophy – which can be thought of as the FA Cup’s sister competition and non-league equivalent. Deciding a tie on the day allows non-league clubs to avoid the long and costly midweek journeys that often come with a replay.

In a modified FA Cup, Premier League and Championship clubs would likely be the ones who want to avoid playing again and guaranteeing their players a period of rest.

Meanwhile, lower and non-league clubs would lose no power. If drawn at home to more glamorous opponents, they could still insist on a money-spinning replay in the event of a draw.

It is not a perfect solution. Not everybody would be happy all of the time. It may face resistance from television companies who pay for the prospect of two games between elite clubs in quick succession.

But it would help to hold the FA Cup's fragile union together, protecting the interests of lower league, semi-professional and amateur participants while easing the load on those at the top of the pyramid.