FLASH POINTS – Manchester United 2, Reading 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes 9 changes
United started with nine changes from the winning team against Newcastle United.
James Garner and Tahith Chong made the bench as only Phil Jones and Juan Mata remained in the side.
There was an inevitable drop in tempo after so many United changes but the experience of Juan Mata, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku helped see them through a quiet first half and they managed to keep the visitors at bay in the second half for a comfortable win.
Reading didn’t take their chances
Second from bottom in the Championship, Reading made only four changes from the side that were thrashed at home to Swansea last weekend.
They had plenty of chances to score against a weakened United side but couldn’t convert their chances despite enjoying a larger share of possession and taking more shots than their hosts.
Today’s United side were just about good enough to beat the Royals but they probably wouldn’t fare so well against other Premier League sides.
VAR decision awards penalty for Manchester United
The VAR delay was beginning to make the Old Trafford fans restless after Juan Mata was brought down in the area by Omar Richards. Fred tucked away the loose ball but from an offside position and that was immediately disallowed by Darren Cann on the sidelines.
Stuart Attwell waited for a verdict from VAR on the foul before awarding the penalty that Mata put away, sending Reading goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola the wrong way.
Tahith Chong debut
A competitive senior debut for the Young Dutch player and he grasped the chance.
He tried some ambitious passes and got himself booked after one enthusiastic challenge too many after the excitement of getting on the Old Trafford pitch.
Injury to Alexis Sanchez
The Chilean laid on United’s second goal and was one of the Reds’ better players in a game that lacked intensity but limped off in the second half after aggravating a hamstring injury.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 2, Reading 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Sergio Romero: 7. Saved well from Garath McCleary’s 30 yard free kick and from Callum Harriott as Reading lacked the killer instinct in front of goal.
Diogo Dalot: 6. Not much troubled him defensively. Didn’t have much luck going forward.
Matteo Darmian: 6. Makeshift centre back.
Phil Jones: 6. Quiet afternoon but poor distribution and needed better concentration later.
Ashley Young: 7. Caught out once or twice. Better going forward.
Fred: 6. Thought he had scored from an offside position early on but Juan Mata scored from the penalty spot. Put through Lukaku for a one on one which was wasted.
Scott McTominay: 7. Sat back a bit deep at times but did provide early chances before Reading reorganised.
Andreas Pereira: 6. Quiet game. Could have made it 3 with long shot in injury time but was denied by Jaakkola who touched it away.
Juan Mata: 7. Fouled in the area and eventually got the penalty which he despatched confidently.
Romelu Lukaku: 7. Clean through in the first half but dawdled and Jaaakola made the save. Made up for it just before the break when he took a wonderful through ball past the Reading goalkeeper to score.
Alexis Sanchez: 7. Early shot went over the bar but a well weighted through ball for Romelu Lukaku allowed the Belgian to double the lead at the end of the first half. Limped off after aggravating his hamstring injury.
Tahith Chong (for Juan Mata 62): 6. Instant crowd favourite, he was confident and snapped into tackles. Not afraid to try things but booked for overdoing it against Omar Richards.
Marouane Fellaini (for Fred) 6. Denied a goal from 6 yards by Jaakkola after Ashley Young’s cut back.
Marcus Rashford (for Alexis Sanchez): 6. Unexpectedly on after Sanchez limped off. Fell over while trying to turn the ball at the touch line – at least he could laugh about it in front of the Stretford End.
GOALS – Manchester United 2, Reading 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Man Utd 1, Reading 0: 22. Juan Mata sends Anssi Jaakkola the wrong way to open the scoring with a penalty after he had been fouled by Omar Richards. Fred tucked away the loose ball from an offside position but the referee had to refer to VAR to confirm that a penalty was the correct decision for the earlier foul. After a long delay with Old Trafford getting restless and booing the delay Stuart Attwell gave the penalty
Man Utd 2, Reading 0: 45+4. Romelu Lukaku skipped past the sliding Jaakkola to slot home from the left after Alexis Sanchez had put a great through ball into for the Belgian to run onto.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 2, Reading 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Man Utd: Romero, Dalot, Darmian, Jones, Young, Fred (Fellaini 62), McTominay, Pereira, Mata (Chong 62), Lukaku, Sanchez (Rashford 64)
Man Utd Subs not used: Grant, Lindelof, Martial, Garner
Booked: Chong 77
Goals: Mata pen 22, Lukaku 45+4
Reading: Jaakkola, Yiadom, Illori (Aluko 46), Moore, Richards, Kelly, Rinomhota, McCleary (Barrow 61), Swift, Harriott (Meite 76), Loader
Reading Subs not used: Walker, Gunter, O’Shea, East
Booked: Yiadom 33
Attendance: 73,918