Manchester United vs Reading

Manchester United’s bid to win the FA Cup title for the first time since 2015/16 continues this weekend as they entertain second-tier Reading at Old Trafford.

Owners of the second-most 12 FA Cup trophies, Manchester United, come into proceedings on the back of a thumping 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the EFL Cup semifinal tie. It was a perfect response to a late 3-2 defeat at Arsenal in last weekend’s mouth-watering Premier League clash, which saw Erik ten Hag’s men slip 11 points behind the title race. That result knocked the ‘Red Devils’ down from an outstanding ten-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W9, D1), but playing at Old Trafford turns United into a different kind of beast. Indeed, ten Hag’s lads have won their last ten home outings in all competitions, while they’ve suffered just one defeat in their 39 previous home encounters against sides from outside the top-flight (W31, D7).

In stark contrast to Man Utd’s imperious form, visiting Reading slumped to a woeful 4-0 defeat at Stoke City in the build-up to this trip, falling five points adrift of the Championship playoff line. Barring a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Watford in the previous FA Cup round, the ‘Royals’ have been winless in four of their last five matches in all competitions (D2, L2), casting doubt on their hopes of staging an upset at Old Trafford. Adding to this sentiment, they’ve managed just one win in their 22 meetings with Man Utd in competitive action (D7, L14), losing the last six on the trot by an aggregate score of 15-4. If that’s not enough to derail confidence in Paul Ince’s camp, his men have suffered seven defeats in their last eight FA Cup ties against Premier League opponents (W1).