adminMarch 30, kick-off 3pm.
This means Chelsea and United will play two games within the space of 48 hours as the Premier League leaders are playing at Sunderland at 12.45pm on the Saturday.
The replay date will play havoc with TV schedules because Chelsea’s game at Southampton was meant to be live.
A statement from the FA said: ‘‘Following consultation with all relevant stakeholders, The FA can confirm that The FA Cup with Budweiser Sixth Round Proper Replay between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge will take place on Easter Monday 1 April, live on ITV. Kick-off is at 12.30pm.’’
The winners will face Manchester City in the semi-finals.
Easter weekend was always the most likely time for the replay to be take place.
The two-week international break starting next Monday meant there were not many opportunities to fit the game in before the Wembley semi-final weekend on April 13 and 14.
UEFA rules that forbid domestic games taking place on the same night as Champions League or Europa League games are only served to complicate the matter.
The decision means Chelsea’s Barclays Premier League fixture with Southampton, which had been due to take place on Easter Sunday, will now take place a day earlier and with a 3pm kick-off.
Finding a suitable date for the fixture proved challenging due to Chelsea’s involvement in the Europa League and the confirmed FA Cup semi-final dates of April 13 and 14.
It had been expected the FA would wait to see if Chelsea advance in the Europa League tomorrow before determining a date.
They must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit to the Romanians to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.
The rescheduling means Chelsea and Manchester United, who visit Sunderland on March 30, play their Premier League matches on the same day, but has irked Southampton.
Meanwhile, Nani is determined to prove his value to Manchester United by leading them to a trophy double at the end of the season.
The Portuguese has faced criticism that he is not worth his high wages at times this season and his campaign reached a low point when he was dismissed in controversial circumstances against Real Madrid last Tuesday.
To compound a bad week, he limped off in United’s 2-2 FA Cup sixth round draw with Chelsea with a hamstring injury.
But the 26-year-old winger has vowed to put this behind him and help United regain the Premier League title and also win the FA Cup for the first time in nine years.
‘‘I want to show the manager that he can trust me and he can believe in me in every match,’’ he said.
‘‘I want to show him my contribution can help win games.
“So I’ll keep working hard to make sure I’m ready to respond every time I get a chance.
‘‘Now my confidence is high and the best is still to come from me. This is my time and I believe I can be important for the team in these big games.
‘‘Because I was injured for two months, it means I’m fresh when some other players are starting to get tired.
‘‘I feel I’m in good form and I’ve nearly arrived at my peak. I believe I can surprise a few people over the next few games.’’ – Mailonline.
Online Reporter