Manchester United cruised past Reading 2-0 in the FA Cup third round to continue Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s winning start in charge of the club.
They took the lead on 22 minutes when VAR ruled Mata had been fouled in the area by Omar Richards before Fred had struck the ball home, only to be ruled offside. After a lengthy delay as VAR was consulted, a penalty was awarded and Mata stepped up to put United 1-0 up.
Romelu Lukaku then doubled the hosts’ lead in first-half stoppage time – the striker’s 13th goal in his last 14 appearances in the competition – to make it five straight wins for Solskjaer since he became United’s interim boss.
Reading, second bottom in the Championship and without a win in 11, battled well and troubled a flat-looking United at times and fashioned numerous chances that should have been put away.
But Solskjaer’s side closed out the match in a non-event of a second half to book their place in their fourth round and continue their momentum following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
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