FA Cup: Manchester United vs Reading Live Coverage
Erik ten Hag’s side have hit their stride after a disastrous start to the season, and having effectively sealed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, United turn their attention to the FA Cup fourth round.
They are well-fancied to do just that – they have lost only one of their last 39 home games against opposition from outside the top flight.
United will continue to be without injured right-back Diogo Dalot for the game while Luke Shaw remains doubtful after missing the midweek match.
Reading on the other hand, return to Old Trafford, a stadium where their FA Cup campaign came to an end in 2013, 2017 and 2019, hoping to pull off a huge upset but Paul Ince’s side do not come in with huge confidence.
They were beaten 4-0 by Stoke last weekend, with a massive improvement needed from the Championship side if they are to challenge United.
Settle in with Infoexpert24 live blog for what promises to be an excellent game tonight, as we could be in for a sprinkle of the magic of the cup
Manchester United Starting XI: De Gea, Malacia, Lindelof, Maguire (C), Wan-Bissaka, Eriksen, Fernandes, Casemiro, Antony, Rashford, Weghorst
Reading Starting XI: Lumley, Hoilett, Baba, Yiadom (C), McIntyre, Holmes, Hendrick, Loum, Ince, Joao, Carroll
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag
‘WE HAVE A CHANCE OF CAUSING AN UPSET’
Paul Ince – who played for Manchester United for six years between 1989 and 1995, winning two Premier League titles – returns to Old Trafford in the opposite dugout. He spoke to local press before the game.
“I’ve been lucky to walk out at Old Trafford in front of a full house. It can be intimidating and when you’ve not done it before you can get stuck under the lights and be in awe of it.
“That can affect your performance as a player so these are the things I will be talking to the players about [ahead of the game]. It’s about being relaxed. There is no pressure on us to win the game.
“Obviously I want to win the game, I’m not going there for a sightseeing trip that’s for sure. Some people do because it’s a lovely day out but for us, we have a chance of causing an upset.”
Reading Boss Paul Ince
WE’RE UNDER WAY!
Man Utd get us moving under the Old Trafford lights.
2′ AMBITIOUS PASS
Eriksen picks the ball up in a deep position and looks to pick out the run of Rashford with a raking pass over the top. Holmes gets his head to it, just.
3′ READING FREE-KICK
An early chance for Reading as Casemiro fouls Hendrick, giving the visitors a free-kick in a threatening position.
4′ SUCH A WASTE
Ince steps up to take the free-kick only to slam it straight into the United wall.
5’CHANCE!
Wan-Bissaka sends a low cross into the Reading penalty area, Weghorst flicks it on and rolls just wide of the far post.
7′ FREE-KICK TO UNITE
Rashford plays a lovely diagonal ball to Weghorst and the England international then gets it back, winning a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area.
8′ NOT FAR AWAY!
Eriksen bends his free-kick around the Reading wall but can’t find the target as it drops wide of the far post.
12′ SO FAR SO GOOD FOR READING
The rain is coming down at Old Trafford; Paul Ince won’t mind, his side are making it difficult for United, sitting deep and compact, squeezing the space.
14′ RASHFORD SHOOTS!
From the resulting free-kick Rashford gets plenty of power behind his shot, forcing Lumley into a save. He can only parry it into the path of Eriksen but his first-time effort on the rebound is blocked.
13’WEGHORST FOULED
Reading defender Holmes mistimes his challenge on Weghorst and concedes a free-kick but escapes a booking.
17′ JUST WIDE!
Antony wraps his foot around the ball and lets fly with a curling effort that looks for all the world that it’ll nestle in the bottom corner, but it drifts agonizingly wide with Reading goalkeeper Lumley seemingly beaten.
18′ POSSESSION STATS
Man Utd 82% – Reading 18%
21′ IMPORTANT BLOCK!
The ball drops kindly for Weghorst following a goalmouth scramble, he looks to have scored but sees his effort crucially blocked by McIntryre.
24′ ONE-WAY TRAFFIC
United are creating chance after chance at the moment. Reading are treading dangerously now.
22′ POOR SHOT
Antony with an effort from a similar position to where he shot from a few minutes ago but this time it’s well over the bar.
26′ ANOTHER BIG BLOCK!
Reading fail to clear their lines convincingly from a Malacia cross as it drops to Eriksen in a threatening position… but again Holmes is in the way to make a crucial block.
28′ CLOSE!
Antony races away down the right flank, looks up and rolls it to Fernandes on the edge of the penalty area. He’s searching for the top corner but gets just too much on the shot and it whistles over.
30′ READING HOLDING ON
United have created numerous opportunities but somehow Reading have managed to hold them at bay.
33′ WIDE
Fernandes makes a clever run and Antony finds him with a lovely little reverse pass. The Portugal international doesn’t have the finish to match, however, as he drags his effort wide.
36′ VAR RULES OUT RASHFORD’S GOAL!
Rashford believes he has a new club record – scoring for the 10th consecutive home game – after meeting Weghorst’s header and nodding past Lumley.
But VAR has ruled it out after a lengthy review – Weghorst is deemed to be offside.
37′ TEN HAG IS FUMING!
The United boss is letting his feelings down to the fourth official.
40′ NO PENALTY!
Casemiro takes a tumble inside the box under pressure from Hoilett, but the referee isn’t moved and VAR isn’t going to overturn the decision.
44′ UNITED CORNER
Fernandes wins United a corner, can they make this one count?
45′ OFF TARGET
A tame and poor effort from Antony is over the bar from the resulting set-piece.
45’+1 READING SHOULD SCORE!
For reasons unknown, Malacia tries to chest the ball down inside his own box but is challenged by Hoilett, who simply must score from point-blank range. But he aims his shot straight at De Gea and the United goalkeeper makes the save.
A let off for the hosts!
45′ TWO MINUTES ARE ADDED ON
45’+1 READING SHOULD SCORE!
For reasons unknown, Malacia tries to chest the ball down inside his own box but is challenged by Hoilett, who simply must score from point-blank range. But he aims his shot straight at De Gea and the United goalkeeper makes the save.
A let off for the hosts!
HALF-TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 READING
Weghorst’s effort is comfortably saved by Lumley and that will be the last action of the first-half.
United head for the tunnel frustrated.
46′ THE SECOND HALF BEGINS
Reading get the ball rolling.
48′ FERNANDES SHOT
Not one of his better ones, as he balloons it into row-Z from 25 yards after Wan-Bissaka had won back possession.
49′ STOPPAGE
Weghorst inadvertently catches Hoilett with his elbow and the Reading player is in some pain, requiring treatment for a bloodied nose.
51′ BLOCK
Play continues as Reading – who are temporarily down to 10 men – play their free-kick. Carroll – who scored for Liverpool in the FA Cup final 11 years ago – lets fly with a loose ball but it’s blocked.
53′ HOILETT FINE TO PLAY ON
The blood has stopped and Hoilett is back on the pitch, ready to continue.
54′ GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 READING (CASEMIRO)
United finally have the breakthrough! The boys from Brazil link up to deadly effect, Antony playing a lovely reverse pass to feed the run of Casemiro and he nonchalantly lifts it over the onrushing Lumley.
56′ UNITED SUB
Eriksen makes way for Fred in the game’s first switch in personnel.
GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 READING (CASEMIRO)
Oh wow, what a stunning goal from Casemiro to double United’s lead!
Full of confidence, the midfielder tries his luck from a first-time shot from 30 yards that nestles in the bottom corner. Did it take a nick off a Reading defender? He won’t care one bit!
60′ YELLOW CARD
Carroll into the book for a foul on Malacia.
62′ READING SUB
Loum makes way for Fornah.
65′ RED CARD!
Oh boy, Andy Carroll, formerly of Liverpool, has been sent off for Reading for a second bookable offence after sliding into Casemiro needlessly.
It’s turning into the perfect night for the hosts.
66′ GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 3-0 READING (FRED)
Fernandes picks out the run of Fred at the near post and he finishes it with a lovely little flick.
United are running away with this now.
68′ MAN UTD SUBS
Rashford and Fernandes make way for Garnacho and Pellistri.
There will be no club record for Rashford, who was looking to become the first United player to score 10 consecutive home games.
70′ IT SHOULD BE FOUR!
Lumley makes the save from Garnacho’s shot, it falls kindly to Weghorst but he can’t turn it in before Fred shoots over.
72′ GOAL! MANCHESTER UNITED 3-1 READING (AMADOU MBENGUE)
Substitute Mbengue gets one back for Reading! He’s left all alone, it’s a free header from a corner and he makes no mistake with a powerful header.
WATCH: CASEMIRO SCORES STUNNING SECOND
73′ UNITED SUBS
Casemiro won’t get a hat-trick tonight, he’s replaced by Mainoo, while Weghorst makes way for Elanga.
74′ READING SUBS
Long and Craig come on for Hendrick and Joao.
78′ READING PUSH
Ince sparks a swift Reading counter-attack but the visitors don’t get the shot away quickly enough.
80′ AT THE OPPOSITE END…
Elanga drives United forward o the counter before sending Garnacho through but his effort lacks conviction.
86’UNITED NOT FINISHED YET?
Antony slips at the vital moment as he tries to get a shot away.
90′ FOUR MINUTES OF ADDED TIME TO PLAY
90 MINS + 1 Garnacho halted
Brilliant play from Elanga on the counter, who controls quickly and releases Garnacho, who breaks into the box and tries to cut back onto his right foot but is upended by an opposition defender.
Erik ten Hag’s side make it 11 home victories in a row at Old Trafford as they claim their place in the FA Cup fifth round.
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