Manchester United progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup, as they brushed Reading aside in a 2-0 victory. Goals from Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku were enough for the fifth consecutive win and second consecutive clean-sheet, even though the Devils did not impress.
Goals came right in the middle and at the end of the first half. The Championship side did not look as bad as it was expected.
Man United Were Too Relaxed
Instead, Man United were a bit too relaxed for this occasion. The Royals had their chances and if it was a better opposition in front of the Devils, there would probably be much more trouble for them. Instead, Reading did not convert any of the chances and half-chances they had in this match.
It is also true that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rotated much, even with Matteo Darmian playing in central defence.
Sergio Romero Is The Best Backup Goalkeeper In Premier League
There is no denying that. There is no Premier League team that could say they have as good goalkeeper being their number two. Maybe Sergio Romero is not happing he is not getting any playing time, but against Reading he did a great job. The Argentinian international made five saves in this match, turning out to be one of the key players in this victory. It will be hard to see Romero stay at United past this summer, but it is also a great thing to say he was always there to step in when he was needed.
Chong Earned A Great Experience
Tahith Chong made his Manchester United debut against Reading. He came on after 62 minutes to replace Juan Mata and overall he did well. It was not spectacular and at times Chong looked like he tried a bit too much. He even earned a yellow card for persistent fouling, but in general, it was good seeing him at Old Trafford. Chong earned a great experience like playing in an iconic competition for an iconic club and this will be a great reason for him to continue working hard.
Scott McTominay Was All-Round Superb
It was a midfield three of Fred, Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay that started the match and the Scotsman was probably the best of the three. McTominay had a really good all-round display, doing his share of work in both directions of play. Defensively, he made six successful tackles from seven attempts, stopping opposition from attacking. His passing was neat and he even created two chances. It was altogether better when he did not play much recently.
Dubai Refreshment Is Needed
Manchester United were headed to Dubai straight away after the match against Reading. They will spend their next week there, training and recuperating in warm weather. It will not be the time for rest, but it will definitely refresh the players. The Devils will need that refreshment following a tough period behind them, with plenty of matches in their legs. Next up is Tottenham Hotspur and that match could truly define this season for Manchester United.
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