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Manchester United won comfortably again as they beat championship side Reading to book a spot in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup. The win was their fifth on the spin as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer preserved his 100% winning record since taking over as United’s interim manager.
Two first half goals from Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku won the game for United, who also kept their second successive clean sheet.
Fred had looked like putting the Red Devils ahead before the goal was ruled out for offside. However, VAR came into effect judging that Juan Mata was fouled in the build-up, and referee Stuart Attwell consulted with VAR referee Jon Moss and awarded the penalty.
The Spaniard coolly converted before Lukaku rounded off the win, picking a brilliant pass from Alexis Sanchez and slotting home. United looked totally in control, and a string of impressive saves from their deputy goalkeeper Sergio Romero helped maintain a rare clean-sheet.
United will hope they can maintain their winning streak as they attempt to catch up to Arsenal and Chelsea in the league table, when they travel to Wembley to face Tottenham next weekend.
Here are the three talking points from the match.
#1. FA Cup shows that the Premier League misses VAR
The Premier League has confirmed the use of VAR beginning from the 2019-20 season. However, the FA Cup had initiated the usage in last season’s final between Manchester United and Chelsea, and the move has proven to be judicious.
VAR came to Manchester United’s rescue against Reading. An apparent tackle on Juan Mata that went unseen by the match official Stuart Attwell was vindicated as a foul by VAR, and subsequently a penalty was given. Mata dispatched the spot kick to open the scoring.
While it is just under five months until the current Premier League campaign ends, it is fair to say there will be a few more controversial moments that would have otherwise been avoided by VAR.
#2. Sanchez looked bright, but hobbled off injured
Jose Mourinho’s dismissal was a welcome relief for many misfiring Manchester United players, and one of them was Alexis Sanchez.
The Chilean, who was last January’s big acquisition from Arsenal, had struggled to get in the United first team, and has only scored one league goal this season. He was injured from November until recently when he returned to training.
Sanchez was given a rare start by Solskjaer and was bright in the opening exchanges, where he played on the left of a front three. He set up Lukaku’s goal, which was his second assist in as many days following one against Newcastle in midweek.
But Sanchez's return was cut short when he was replaced by Marcus Rashford in the second half after suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury. Whether this will be a long-term injury remains to be seen, but it would be a major setback for the former Arsenal star.
#3. Manchester United have another safe pair of hands in Romero
David De Gea has long been Manchester United’s best player. The Spaniard is also regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
His absence from the first team is usually felt almost immediately. But on Saturday afternoon, he was a given a rare off day, and his deputy Sergio Romero filled in for him.
The Argentine is a very agile goalkeeper who possesses a wealth of experience. Reading had 13 shots at goal, with 5 of them being on target. On all of those five occasions, the Argentinean number one was brilliant.
His reflexes thwarted Reading from making the scoreline a little more respectable as United conjured their second successive clean sheet under Solskjaer.
De Gea is most likely to keep his place once the Premier League resumes next weekend with a tough trip to Wembley. But in Sergio Romero, United have a top class backup goalkeeper.
