Manchester United booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup and extended their 100% start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 2-0 win over Reading at Old Trafford this afternoon.
Juan Mata opened the scoring from the penalty spot midway through the first half, but only after VAR had intervened with Fred's initial goal being ruled out for offside.
Romelu Lukaku then doubled the home side's advantage against the run of play right on the stroke of half time as United made it five wins from five under their interim boss.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
The third-round Saturday of this competition is always a special occasion as lower-league teams dream of pulling off the type of upset which has made this competition so famous. Manchester United are the team looking to avoid that fate this afternoon as they bid to continue their 100% start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but can Reading produce a shock?
Let's start with a look at the team news...
Well, as Solskjaer promised both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez start for the hosts today, and both will be delighted to be back in the starting lineup having come off the bench against Newcastle in midweek.
For Sanchez it is his first start since November following a spell out with a hamstring injury, while Lukaku has now scored off the bench in back-to-back games - including with his first touch against Newcastle.
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There were suggestions that a number of youngsters might be included in the side, but Solskjaer has limited those with Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira - both of whom have decent first-team experience under their belts already - the only ones to get the nod.
Solskjaer's hands were tied to a certain extent with Bailly suspended, and Smalling and Rojo injured, so in order to rest Lindelof for this match he has seemingly drafted in Matteo Darmian - who were are used to seeing as a full-back - into the heart of the defence.
Argentina international Romero gets the gloves in goal, while big-money summer signing Fred is among the players to come into the side. Remarkably, most of the players selected in this XI today are now regarded as fringe players, so this is a real chance for them to impress Solskjaer.
There is a mixture of youth and experience on the bench too, with Garner and Chong hopeful of run-outs and Fellaini also in contention for a rare appearance. Should United need them, they also have the attacking quality of Martial and Rashford among the subs.
The veteran made 393 appearances for United across all competitions, helping them to win five Premier League titles, two League Cups, the Champions League and the FA Cup. He was more often than not a utility player rather than a regular starter, but he certainly played his part in the club's success during those years.
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There is, however, a return from injury for Liam Moore, who replaces O'Shea at the heart of the defence alongside former Liverpool man Tiago Ilori.
The other changes see Kelly and Loader replace Aluko and Meite - both of whom are also on the bench alongside Chris Gunter, who could make his own return from injury today.
That may seem like a standard mood anyway considering they are Manchester United and they are taking on a team struggling in the Championship, but dare I say that it might not have been the case under Jose Mourinho, when you could never be sure which United might turn up on any given day. The only thing you could be sure of is that it would probably be quite dull!
It is still very early in the Norwegian's reign, and much tougher tests will come that he has had so far, but he could not have wished for a better start and those who questioned his appointment considering his lack of managerial experience at the top level will now be beginning to change their opinions.
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Indeed, he has already picked up as many wins as Jose Mourinho managed in his final 12 league games as United boss, and he has done it in style too with the Red Devils beginning to rediscover their attacking swagger. Under Solskjaer they have scored 14 goals already - an average of more than three per game.
Things get tougher next weekend when they take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley, but after that they face Brighton, Burnley, Leicester and Fulham before back-to-back matches against PSG and Liverpool at Old Trafford. There is plenty of time to increase their momentum before that difficult double-header, then.
United were 11 points behind the top four at one stage, but since Solskjaer's appointment they have cut that deficit to six points, with Chelsea's draw against Southampton earlier this week helping them in that regard.
Solskjaer has already admitted that he will not want to leave the club at the end of his temporary spell this summer, and if he carries on like this then he may not have to.
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That is one of 12 times United as a club have lifted the trophy - a tally only Arsenal can beat - and they have not been eliminated from the competition by a lower-league club since their third-round defeat to Leeds United nine years ago.
The Red Devils have also won each of their last four third-round games without conceding a single goal, since a 2-1 defeat against Swansea in 2013-14.
The Royals have not won a game of football since November 3, picking up only five points from the 30 on offer in their 10 games since then. It is a run of form which has seen them slip into the relegation zone in the Championship, and survival will be their main target for the remainder of the season rather than a good cup run.
Such poor form saw Reading sack Paul Clement at the beginning of December - just nine months after appointing him - and they replaced him with a silver-haired Portuguese boss called Jose shortly before Christmas.
The fact that the bulk of his recent managerial experience has come in the Middle East raised eyebrows when he got the Reading job, and he has so far struggled to make an immediate impact at the club.
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The Royals did at least manage to score in that game, which is something they have not found easy of late. Reading have drawn blanks in six of their last nine outings, and that goal against Swansea was one of just two they have scored in their last six games.
The goals have really dried up away from home especially, though, with Reading having scored just once in their last six outings on the road. Defensively they have been stronger, conceding only three goals in their last five away games, but they need to win matches and the only way to do that is to score more goals.
Not since February 2015 have the Royals won an FA Cup game on the road, drawing three and losing two such matches since then, including a 4-0 defeat at this very ground almost exactly two years ago.
The Royals would certainly take another draw in this match, but their chances look bleak considering the contrasting form of both of these sides.
You can never count out an upset in the FA Cup, but we have to go with the form book in this one. It would be a major shock if United crashed out today, so we're going for a fairly comfortably home win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Man Utd 3-0 Reading
Martial and Rashford (2) were both on the scoresheet for the Red Devils that day, but it was Wayne Rooney who stole the headlines with his 249th goal for the club, equalling Sir Bobby Charlton's all-time record.
United have otherwise won eight and drawn five of those 14 FA Cup contests, including seven wins and two draws from their last nine such meetings.
The 20-time English champions have won each of their last five meetings too, so they enjoy utter domination of this fixture down the years.
MAN UTD STARTING XI: Romero; Dalot, Darmian, Jones, Young; McTominay, Fred, Pereira; Mata, Lukaku, Sanchez
READING STARTING XI: Jaakola; Yiadom, Ilori, Moore, Richards; Kelly, Rinomhota; McCleary, Swift, Harriott; Loader
Friends re-United. 🔴#MUFC are remaining patient in the opening stages at Old Trafford, but the atmosphere in the stadium is incredible! #EmiratesFACup pic.twitter.com/kmtyQyNQW4— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 5, 2019
Get ready for more questions over VAR, though, as it took more than two minutes to reach that decision. Ultimately, though, it was the right one as it was a foul on Mata inside the area just before Fred tucked it home from an offside position. A slightly complicated one, but the correct decision was made in the end.
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They may not get many chances like that today!
21 - Juan Mata has been directly involved in 21 goals in 24 starts in the FA Cup (10 goals, 11 assists). Specialist. pic.twitter.com/WB1kgGwrdv— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2019
United strike just before half time as Swift gives the ball away inside the home side's half and is quickly punished. Sanchez slides a lovely pass through to Lukaku, who matches it with his run before taking the ball around the keeper and sliding his finish into the empty net.
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The Championship opponents have more than held their own, but they have been unable to make the most of some promising attacking positions, whereas United have punished the Royals when they have had the chance.
It took more than two minutes for the video assistant to make a decision - partially due to a question of whether an offside Lukaku was interfering in play too - but they eventually awarded a penalty which Mata tucked away himself.
Lukaku was slipped through by an incisive Alexis Sanchez pass and got to the ball ahead of the keeper, taking it around him and sliding his finish into an empty net to give the hosts a rather flattering 2-0 lead at the interval.
The best chance fell the way of Loader, who was played clean through on goal by Harriott but then took too long over his finish as he tried to take the ball around Romero. Yiadom and Harriott have also had sights of goal themselves, but the visitors need a cutting edge in the final third.
13 - Romelu Lukaku has scored 13 goals in his last 14 FA Cup appearances, including netting six in seven for Man Utd. Assured. pic.twitter.com/hjd7i1LzIu— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 5, 2019
If there one thing you don't do, it's sit down in the boss' seat 🤣 pic.twitter.com/C8iGpz2ryr— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 5, 2019
A VAR-awarded Juan Mata penalty saw United take the lead in a match they were by no means dominating, and Romelu Lukaku's second just before half time came against the run of play. Victory is ultimately United's, though, as they continue to march on under Solskjaer.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's match as United maintain their 100% record under Solskjaer and reach the fourth round of the FA Cup in the process. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!