The last game of the 5th round had an incredible atmosphere as Manchester United took on Preston
The draw for the 6th round took place before the two teams played one another, and the atmosphere in Preston was amazing. Manchester United and Preston knew before kickoff that the winner would go on to play Arsenal in the quarter finals.
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Preston were heavy underdogs going in to the game, and Man United cemented that tag as they started with a very strong line up. Falcau, Rooney and Di Maria all started, sending shivers down the spine of Preston fans.
In the opening minutes of the game the League 1 side didn’t look out of place against the world class stars, though some of their passing was poor.
Manchester Utd enjoyed most of the early possession but failed to make it pay. The first half was a very scrappy affair with a serious lack clear-cut chances.
The second half was much more of the same up until Preston shocked the footballing world when Scott Laird fired the home team ahead. The Preston faithful couldn’t believe their luck, as the ball took a major deflection off of Man Utd’s Valencia.
Preston pushed for a second, but the lower league side seemed to be running out of steam while the Premier League side were picking up the pace. United’s quality really began to show as they continuously pushed for the equalizer.
The breakthrough finally came on the 65th minute when Ander Herrera curled one home. He has to be praised for his shot, but the goalkeeper was rightly furious at the fact that Wayne Rooney was in an offside position and seemed to have blocked the Preston man’s view.
It wasn’t long before United took the lead as Fellaini put them in front. Valencia made up for his part in the Preston goal as he skipped past the defense and played in a great cross (not often you say that about Valencia). Felaini did well to put it away.
Preston continuously pushed forward but their lack of top-class quality seemed to be evident, though you couldn’t fault their effort. United seemed in total control following the second goal with De Gea rarely being tested with any conviction.
The game was put beyond any doubt when Wayne Rooney broke through on goal, only to be taken down by the Preston keeper. It has to be noted that there was minimal contact and certain angles would suggest the Englishman took a dive; that’s not for me to say. Rooney stepped up and smashed it to the left side of the goal, sending the keeper the wrong way.
Aug 4, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney (10) celebrates his goal against Liverpool in the second half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Over 90 minutes Man Utd deserved their win, but you have to credit a strong performance from Preston who are in the third tier of English football. They can be proud of their display.
Manchester United will play at home to Arsenal in the 6th round, a game that is sure to be the main talking point of the quarter finals.
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